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The  Author's  Itinerary 


LANDS  OF  THE  SOUTHERN  CROSS 
A  Visit  to  South  America 


BY 


REV.  CHARLES  WARREN  CURRIER,  PH.  D. 
Delegate  of  the  United  States  to  the  International  Congress 
of  Americanists  at  Buenos  Aires 


WASHINGTON,  D.  C. 

SPANISH-AMERICAN  PUBLICATION  SOCIETY 

1911 


H.  Bmanceau,  S.  S., 

Censor  Deputatut. 
5a  Maii  1911. 


fmpdmatur. 

Jacobus  Card.  Gibbons. 
15a  Maii  1911. 


Copyright,  1911, 
By  Chaeles  Wabren  Cueeieb. 


.f-r  ,(  ^   m       r  i-icrary 


807 


CONTENTS 

Chapter  I. 

Preparing  for  the  Voyage. 

South  America  untrodden  by  ordinary  Tourist — Inter- 
est of  a  Journey — General  Observations — Climate — 
Cost  of  Trip — Risks — Choice  of  Route — Languages — 
Steamship  Agencies 15-23 

Chapter  II. 
The  Voyage. 

Types  of  Passengers — Classes  on  Board — The  Verdi — 
"We're  Off" — The  American  Flag  rare  on  the  High 
Seas — Convenience  of  Travel  Today — Our  Doctor — 
Operation  for  Appendicitis — Suggestions — Contagi- 
ous Diseases  on  Shipboard — Sports — Second  Class — 
Incidents — Halley's  Comet — The  "Wireless" — Nep- 
tune's   Visit 24-35 

Chapter  III. 
Arrival  in  Brazil. 

Brazilian  Coast  Line — First  Harbingers  of  Land — 
Brazilian  Ports — Harbor  of  Bahia — Entering  a  Port 
— Brazilian  Money — Landing  at  Bahia — American 
Consulate — Modern  Conveniences — Business — Relig- 
ion— The  Cathedral — Protestantism — Return  to  the 
Ship 36-45 

Chapter  IV. 
Rio  de  Janeiro. 

Early  Rising — Splendid  Sky — The  Moon,  Venus,  and 
the  Comet — Wonderful  Harbor — Our  Flag — A  Bit  of 
History — Government  of  Brazil — Rio  de  Janeiro — 
Churches — Great  Improvement  in  Religion — S.  Bento 
— Breakfast  at  the  Abbey — The  "Jornal  do  Bresil" 
— The  Monroe  Palace — Influence  of  Mr.  Root — Build- 
ings— Prices  in  Rio — Petropolis 46-58 

Chapter  V. 
Santos  and  S.  Paulo. 

Harbor  of  Santos — Yellow  Fever  Banished — Coffee — 
Misericordia  Hospital — Schools  —  Churches — Court- 
yard of  Carmelite  Monastery — Tomb  of  Bonifacio 
d'Andrada  —  Diego   Feijoo  —  Proposition  to   Abolish 


Celibacy — Influence  of  Rome — S.  Paulo  Railroad — 
History  of  S.  Paulo — General  View  of  S.  Paulo — An 
Educational  Centre — College  of  S.  Bento — Mackenzie 
College — Climate  of  S.  Paulo — Products  of  Brazil     .       59-70 

Chapter  VI. 
Montevideo — Landing  in  Buenos  Aires. 

Steaming  down  the  Coast  —  Geography — Sources  of 
Uruguayan  Wealth — History — Harbor  of  Montevideo 
— Going  Ashore — The  Postoflice — Streets  of  the  City — 
The  Cathedral — Bishop  Soler — The  Church  in  Uru- 
guay —  Pocitos,  the  Fashionable  Resort  —  Steaming 
Across  the  La  Plata — Buenos  Aires — The  Docks — The 
Custom  House 71-79 

Chapter  VII. 
Argentina. 

The  International  Congress  of  Americanists — Geogra- 
phy of  Argentina — Climate — History — Aborigines — 
Descendants  of  Spaniards — Immigrants — Industrial 
Interests — Banks — Dealings  with  South  Americans — 
Resources — Manufactories — Railroads —  Government 
—Army  and  Navy 80-96 

Chapter  VIII. 
First  Days  in  Buenos  Aires. 

Rates  for  Carriages — Hotel  Plaza — Population  of  Bue- 
nos Aires — Plan  of  the  City — Rapid  Transit — The 
Houses — Names  of  the  Streets — Calle  Florida — Post- 
oflace  —  Telegraph  —  American  Legation  —  Plaza  de 
Mayo — The  Avenida — The  Anarchists — Student  Dem- 
onstrations— The  Glul)  del  Progreso — Palermo  Park 
—  Zoological  Garden  —  An  Argentine  Breakfast — 
Museo  Mitre — Hotel  Albion — Opening  of  the  Congress    97-123 

Chapter  IX. 
Places — Persons — Manners — Customs. 

Crowds — Night  in  Buenos  Aires — The  Teatro  Colon — 
"Drug  Stores"  —  The  Building  of  Congress  —  The 
"Prensa"  —  Newspapers  —  Historical  Museum  —  The 
Reservoir — Jockey  Club — The  Slums — ^The  Working 
Classes — Public  Charities — Argentine  Young  Ladies 
— The  "Nouveaux-Riches" — Domestic  Architecture — 
Tea  and  Mat6 124-137 


Chapter  X. 
The  Church  in  Argentina. 

Churches  and  Parishes — The  Cathedral — Tomb  of  San 
Martin — Archbishop's  Palace — Hierarchy  in  Argen- 
tina— The  Cassock — Procession  of  Corpus  Christi — 
San  Francisco  and  Santo  Domingo — Argentme  Gener- 
osity—  Funerals  —  The  Friars  in  South  America  — 
— Monument  to  Belgrano — Church  of  St.  Ignatius — 
Admiring  American  Methods — The  Passionists — Our 
Lady  of  Lujan  —  Reminiscences  of  Pio  IX.  —  The 
Infanta  Isabel — Irreligion — Protestant  Churches  .     .  138-156 

Chapter  XI. 
Education  in  Argentina. 

Education  in  Colonial  Period  —  Public  Schools  —  Sec- 
ondary and  Higher  Education — University  of  La 
Plata  —  The  Museum  —  Astronomical  Observatory  — 
Cordoba  —  Catholic  Education  —  Parochial  Schools  — 
Catholic  University — Protestant  Educational  Work — 
Schools  of  Rev.  C.  Morris 157-165 

Chapter  XII. 
From  Buenos  Aires  to  Santiago. 

Choice  of  Route — Paraguay — Overland  Route  to  Bolivia 
— Purchasing  a  Ticket — The  Old  Coach  Journey — 
Discomforts — The  Pampas — Line  of  the  Railroad — 
Mercedes  —  Chacabuco  —  Mendoza  —  Transferring  to 
the  Narrow-Gauge  Road— Sunrise  on  the  Andes — The 
Ascent  —  Puente  del  Inca  —  Aconcagua  —  Mountain 
Sickness — Las  Cuevas — The  Christ  of  the  Andes — The 
Tunnel — Old  Method  of  Crossing  the  Cumhre — The 
Descent — "The  Soldier's  Leap" — Los  Andes — Santiago  166-187 

Chapter  XIII. 
Chile. 

Geography  and  Climate — Minerals — Forests — Agricul- 
ture— Stock  JEtaising — Industries — Aboriginal  Popula- 
tion— History — Population — Transportation — Govern- 
ment— Army  and  Navy — Cities — Punta  Arenas — Val- 
divia—Coronel—Concepcion— Chilian— Talca    .     .     .  188-200 


Chapter  XIV. 
Santiago. 

Topography — Santa  Lucia — Plaza  de  Armas — Electric 
Tramways — Women  Conductors — Intendencia — Am- 
brose O'Higgins — The  Congress — The  Moneda — Na- 
tional Library — Andres  Bello — Jose  Toribio  Medina 
—  Quinta  Informal  —  National  Museum  —  Alameda  — 
American  Legation  —  Modern  Residences  —  Santiago 
Society — Drunkenness  in  the  Lower  Classes — Cousino 
Park — House  of  Pius  IX. — Costume  of  the  Women 
—Newspapers 201-220 

Chapter  XV. 
The  Church  and  Education  in  Chile. 

The  "Conquistadores"  — Valdivia  — Franciscans — Padre 
Errazuriz — San  Francisco — The  Cathedral — Bishop 
Villaroel — Union  of  Church  and  State — The  Clergy — 
Parishes  —  Societies  —  Ladies  of  South  America  — 
Catholic  Papers — The  Seminary — The  Dominicans — 
Augustinians — La  Merced  —  Jesuits  —  Protestants  in 
Chile — Education  in  Colonial  Times — Present  Edu- 
cation— Pedagogy — State  University — Religion  in  the 
Schools — Archbishop  Casanova — The  Catholic  Univer- 
sity         221-241 

Chapter  XVI. 
From  Santiago  to  Callao. 

On  to  Valparaiso — Vina  del  Mar — ^W.  R.  Grace  &  Co. — 
Earthquakes — Cosmopolitan  Character  of  Valparaiso 
— Battle  of  Valparaiso — The  "Oravia" — Coquimbo — 
Serena — ^Wreck  of  the  Blanco  Encalada — Antofagasta 
— The  Railway  to  Lake  Titicaca — Nitrate  Industry 
— Iquique — Arica — The  War  between  Chile  and  Peru 
— Mollendo — Difficulty  of  Landing— Deserted  Islay— 
Guano  Islands— Callao— Lima— The  Hotel  Maury     .  242-262 

Chapter  XVII. 

Peru. 

Geography —  History —  Population—  Government —  Re- 
sources — Mines — Agriculture — Climate —  Cities —  In- 
vestments— Railroads 263-274 


Chapter  XVIII. 
Sacred  MemxDries  of  Lima. 

Climate — The  Cathedral — Crypt  of  the  Bishops — Tomb 
of  Pizarro — St.  Toribio — Archiepiscopal  Palace — The 
Church  in  Peru — Santo  Domingo — St.  Rose — Uni- 
versity of  St.  Mark — San  Francisco — St.  Francis 
Solano — Alameda  de  los  Descalzos 275-293 


Chapter  XIX. 

Buildings,  Ecclesiastical  and  Civil, 
of  Colonial  Lima. 

The  Augustinians — La  Merced — The  Jesuits — Convent 
of  the  Sacred  Heart — The  National  Library — Old 
Convents — Our  Lady  of  Copacabana — The  Inquisition 
— Palace  of  the  Viceroys — House  of  Pizarro — Casa 
de  Pilatos— House  of  Torres-Tagle 294-305 

Chapter  XX. 
Modern  Lima. 

The  Change — Balconies — Women  of  Lima — Society — 
Hotels— Street  Cars— Morning— The  Bullfight— Trade 
— The  Postoffice — Policemen — Beggars — Lottery  Tic- 
kets — Houses — National  Museum — Population  — En- 
virons— Cemeteries — The  Dead  City  of  Cajamarquilla  306-318 

Chapter  XXI. 
From  Callao  to  Panama. 

Callao — The  Ucay ali — Salaverry — Tru jillo  —  Sanitary 
Precautions  —  Pacasmayo  —  Memories  of  Atahualpa 
— Peruvian  Ladies — Loading  and  Unloading  Freight 
—  South  American  Names  —  Delays  —  Characteristic 
Landing  at  Eten — Paita — On  the  Verge  of  Mutiny — 
The  Admiral — Shipping  Oil — End  of  the  Voyage — 
From  La  Boca  to  Panama 319-333 

Chapter  XXII. 
Panama. 

Geography — Climate — Division — Discovery — Population 
— Indians — Products — Industries — Panama    Railroad 


— Government — Army — Religion — Canal  Zone — Old 
Panama  —  New  Panama  —  The  Cathedral  —  Ruined 
Churches— Hotel  Tivoli— Ancon  Hospital  ....  334-350 


Chapter  XXIII. 
The  Canal— Colon. 

Line  of  the  Canal — Wonderful  Change  in  Panama — 
Pacific  Entrance  to  Canal — The  Locks — City  of  Colon 
— Prevalence  of  English — Christ  Church — Catholic 
Church — Washington  Hotel — Government  of  Canal 
Zone — Penal  System  of  Panama — Christobal — Porto- 
belo— The  "Clyde"— Tracy  Robinson— Cartagena  .     .  351-364 

Chapter  XXIV. 
Colombia. 

Geography — Climate —  Resources —  History —  Population 
— Government — Religion — Bogota — How  to  Reach  It 
— Literature  and  Education — Leprosy — The  Army — 
Currency  —  Cartagena  —  The  Cathedral  —  Santo  Do- 
mingo—  San  Pedro  Claver  —  The  University  —  San 
Francisco — Old  Houses — Puerto  Colombia — Cannibals 
—The  Coast  of  Venezuela 365-379 

Chapter  XXV. 
The  West  Indies. 

Trinidad — Barbados — Boys  Diving  for  Coins — Steam- 
ship Agents — Hastings — Nelson's  Statue — The  Cathe- 
dral—The Ocamo  — St.  Vincent  — The  Caribs  — St. 
Lucia — Dominica — Antigua — Nevis — St.  Kitts — Brim- 
stone Hill  —  St.  Eustatius  —  Ruins  —  Past  History  — 
Saluting  the  American  Flag — Admiral  Rodney — Ja- 
maica— The  Bahamas — Home  Again 380-395 

Bibliography 396-401 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

Page 

The   Author's   Itinerary Frontispiece 

Beiramar  Avenue  and  Botafogo  Square,  Rio  de  Janeiro     .     48 

Avenida  Central,  Rio   de  Janeiro 50 

Cathedral,   Rio  de  Janeiro 52 

Monroe   Palace,    Rio    de   Janeiro 64 

Republica  Square  in  Santos,  with  the  Statue  of  Bras  Cubas    60 

Loading  Coffee  at  Santos 62 

Custom  House,  Montevideo 72 

Zabala   Street,   Montevideo 74 

Cathedral,    Montevideo 76 

Plaza  Hotel,  Buenos  Aires 80 

Plaza  de  Mayo,  Buenos  Aires 104 

Avenida  de  Mayo,  Buenos  Aires 106 

Pavillion  for  Zebus,  Zoological  Gardens,  Buenos  Aires  .      .  114 

Plaza  del  Congreso,  Buenos  Aires *    .      .  128 

Vestibule  of  Jockey  Club,  Buenos  Aires 130 

Private   Residence,   Buenos   Aires 134 

Cathedral,  Buenos  Aires 140 

Mausoleum  of  General  San  Martin 142 

Museum,  La  Plata 160 

Scene  on  the  Transandine  Railway 176 

Aconcagua 180 

Stone  Refuge  House,   in  the  Andes 184 

Salto  del  Soldado,  the  Soldier's  leap,  in  the  Cordillera   .  186 

Plaza  de  la  Independencia,   Santiago 202 

National  Congress,  Santiago 206 

Senate  Chamber,  Santiago 208 

Alameda,    Santiago 212 

Chilean   Lady    with   Manto 216 

Valparaiso,  Chile 242 

The  Morro,  Arica,  Chile 258 

Street,   Lima 274 

The  Cathedral,  Lima 276 

Interior  of  the  Cathedral,  Lima 278 

Tomb  of  Pizarro 280 

University  of  San  Marcos,  Lima 288 

Church  of  San  Francisco,  Lima 290 

Senate,  Lima 302 

Torre  Tagle  Mansion,  Lima .  304 

Policemen,    Lima 310 

Prehistoric  Ruins,  Peru 316 

Cathedral,   Panama 344 

Statue  of  Columbus,  Cristobal 350 

Lock  in  the  Gatun  Dam 354 

Bolivar  Street,  Colon 356 

Cartagena,    Colombia 362 

Part  of  the  Old  Wall,  Cartagena 374 

House  in  the  Island  of  Nevis  in  which  Alexander  Hamilton 

was  born 390 

Old  Fort  in  St.  Eustatius  that  saluted  the  American  Flag  392 


PREFACE 


No  pretense  is  made  in  this  little  work  of  furnishing  an 
exhaustive  study  on  South  America.  Volumes  would  be  re- 
quired for  the  purpose.  I  have  merely  contented  myself  with 
gathering  my  own  impressions,  and  recording  the  results  of  such 
studies  as  harmonized  with  the  general  plan  of  the  book. 
South  America  is  attracting  increased  attention,  and  a  num- 
ber of  works  are  appearing  which  add  to  our  fund  of  knowl- 
edge. I  venture  to  trust  that  my  small  contribution  will  be 
of  some  service,  as  well  to  the  tourist,  as  to  those  who  wish 
to  form  a  general  idea  of  the  other  half  of  our  continent. 

It  is  a  pleasure  to  record  my  gratitude  to  Mr.  Franklin 
Adams,  of  the  Pan-American  Union,  and  to  Mr.  C.  E.  Bab- 
cock,  librarian  of  the  Institution,  for  their  constant  willing- 
ness to  aid  me  by  their  advice.  The  friends  I  made  in  South 
America  are  too  numerous  to  mention,  but  their  memory 
abides  with  me.  Their  works  which  they  lavishly  bestowed 
have  proved  to  be  of  invaluable  assistance. 

As  a  delegate  of  the  United  States  to  the  International 
Congress  of  Americanists,  I  had  opportunities  of  meeting  many 
whom  I,  otherwise,  would  not  have  known,  and  I,  consequently, 
feel  grateful  to  our  Secretary  of  State,  and  to  the  authorities 
of  the  Smithsonian  Institution,  for  the  appointment. 

My  character  of  priest  and  delegate  of  the  Catholic  Univer- 
sity of  America  brought  me  into  contact  with  ecclesiastics,  and 
afforded  opportunities  to  obtain  an  insight  into  the  religious 
life  of  the  countries  I  visited. 

From  the  abundance  of  material  I  gathered  on  my  journey, 
both  civil  and  ecclesiastical,  I  have  selected  only  a  minor 
portion  which  I  now  offer  to  the  public.  In  the  lands  I  had 
the  pleasure  of  visiting,  the  Southern  Cross  shines  like  our  own 
North  Star,  and  thus  the  title  of  my  work  was  suggested. 


Chapter  I 

PREPAKING  FOR  THE  VOYAGE 

South  America  Untrodden  by  Ordinary  Tourist — Interest  of  a 
Journey — General  Observations — Climate — Cost  of  Trip — 
Risks — Choice  of  Route — Languages — Steamship  Agencies. 

My  travels  are  ended;  the  reality  has  passed;  only 
memory  remains.  I  have  returned  to  the  solitude  of 
my  rooms  to  live  the  past  months  over  again,  and, 
in  fancy,  to  retrace  my  steps,  and  travel  once  more 
over  the  old  paths.  Pleasant  faces  greet  me  tonight, 
and  silent  voices  ring  in  my  ears.  The  companions  of 
my  journeys,  by  sea  and  land,  I  will,  probably,  never 
meet  again ;  the  friends  of  a  moment  have  departed, 
and  we  have  been  scattered  to  the  four  quarters  of 
the  globe.  I  console  myself  with  the  thought,  that, 
wherever  these  pages  will  be  read,  other  friends,  un- 
known, but,  none  the  less,  dear,  will  bear  me  company, 
sharing  with  me  the  pleasures,  without  the  little  hard- 
ships of  a  long  journey,  almost  around  the  South 
American  continent.  They  will  appreciate  with  me 
whatever  of  truth,  of  goodness,  or  of  beauty  we  shall 
discover,  and  should  I  be  disposed  to  critize,  it  will 
be  without  bitterness,  or  cynicism. 

South  America,  thus  far,  is  an  untrodden  field  for 
the  ordinary  tourist;  in  fact  it  contains  little  to 
attract  him.  The  ordinary  tourist  follows  the  crowd; 
he  travels  along  the  beaten  track,  and  the  path  of  least 

15 


16  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

resistance.  He  engages  passage  on  a  fashionable  trans- 
Atlantic  liner,  and  he  does  Europe  and  the  "East/' 
He  goes  to  London,  Paris,  Switzerland,  the  Eiviera, 
Italy  and  the  Mediterranean,  and  he  has  begun  to  go 
to  Spain.  He  finds  first-class  accommodations  in  com- 
fortable hotels,  he  sees  the  things  that  everybody  talks 
and  writes  about,  and  he  may  do  it  economically.  The 
facilities  for  travel  in  Europe  are  so  great,  that  he 
can  come  and  go  as  he  pleases,  without  delay.  In 
every  important  city  of  England  and  the  continent, 
he  finds  tourist  agencies  always  ready  to  furnish  him 
every  possible  information,  and  his  progress  is  greatly 
facilitated.  He  remains  in  easy  touch  with  home  by 
mail  and  telegraph,  and,  in  less  than  two  weeks,  he 
may  receive  a  reply  to  his  letters.  Should  an  immedi- 
ate return  home  be  necessary,  a  few  days  at  most 
will  bring  him  to  an  Atlantic  seaport,  and,  within  a 
week,  he  is  in  the  United  States. 

If  you  decide  to  go  to  South  America,  you  make  up 
your  mind  to  spend  long  days  at  sea,  to  wait  patiently 
for  steamboats  and  trains,  as  well  as  for  mail  from 
home.  Should  you  get  away  from  the  large  cities,  you 
will  take  the  hotels  such  as  you  find  them,  or,  perhaps, 
do  without  hotels  at  all.  Even  in  some  of  the  larger 
cities  you  will  miss  many  of  the  comforts  of  an  Ameri- 
can or  European  hotel.  Besides,  there  is  the  danger 
of  falling  sick  far  from  home,  a  danger  which  is  not 
at  all  imaginary,  though  by  some  it  may  be  exag- 
gerated. 

Yet  there  are  a  few  tourists  who  travel  through 
South  America  merely  for  pleasure,  and,  of  late,  the 
Hamburg- American  line  of  steamers,  and  Thomas  Cook 
and  Sons  have  been  organizing  tourist  parties  to  the 
Southern  hemisphere.  The  programme  of  the  latter 
is  quite  elaborate,  covering,  as  it  does,  a  vast  territory. 


Preparing  for  the  Voyage  17 

He  who  undertakes  the  journey  intelligently  will  not 
do  so  in  vain;  for  there  is,  indeed,  much  of  interest 
in  South  America.  The  beautiful  harbor  of  Rio  de 
Janeiro,  the  astounding  progress  of  Argentina,  the 
majestic  scenery  of  the  Andes,  the  vestiges  of  Inca 
civilization  in  Peru,  and  the  historical  remains  of 
early  Spanish  colonization,  are  so  many  objects  to 
attract  the  intelligent  and  studious  tourist. 

A  journey  of  four  months  will  suffice  to  give  a 
general,  though  somewhat  superficial,  idea  of  the 
whole  of  the  South  American  continent;  but  years  of 
travel  would  be  required,  to  form  a  perfect  acquaint- 
ance with  each  separate  country. 

Let  me  suppose,  that  you  intend  to  visit  the  prin- 
cipal portions  of  South  America.  Your  first  aim  must 
be  to  know  something  of  the  countries  to  which  you 
are  going.  An  ordinary  geography  may  profitably  be 
consulted ;  for  guide  books  are  scarce.  It  is  impossible 
to  make  any  general  statement  that  would  apply  to  the 
entire  continent,  as  the  several  republics  differ  to  such 
an  extent  from  each  other.  The  far  greater  portion 
of  South  America  lies  in  the  southern  hemisphere, 
the  equator  passing  through  northern  Brazil  and  Ecu- 
ador. The  southern  hemisphere  differs  materially  from 
our  portion  of  the  globe;  for  the  heavens  are  different 
and  the  earth  is  different.  Owing  to  the  inclination 
of  the  earth's  axis,  as  it  performs  its  annual  revolu- 
tion around  the  sun,  the  south  pole  points  towards 
the  great  luminary,  when  the  north  pole  is  averted 
from  it,  and  thus  when  we  find  ourselves  in  the  snows 
of  Winter,  our  neighbors  to  the  south  are  sweltering 
in  Summer  heat.  As  their  days  grow  longer,  ours 
become  shorter.  The  north  star  which  is  always  visi- 
ble above  our  horizon,  is  never  seen  in  the  hemisphere 


18  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

south  of  us,  while,  on  the  other  hand,  the  southern 
cross  becomes  visible  several  degrees  north  of  the 
equator,  rising  higher,  as  we  proceed  further  to  the 
south. 

Again  we  must  distinguish  between  tropical  South 
America,  and  that  portion  of  it  which  lies  in  the 
temperate  zone,  nor  must  we  lose  sight  of  the  fact, 
that  there  is  a  vast  difference  between  the  Atlantic, 
and  the  Pacific  coast.  By  consulting  the  map,  you 
will  observe,  that  the  larger  portion  of  Brazil  is  in 
the  torrid  zone,  while  the  region  south  of  Santos,  lies 
below  the  tropic  of  Capricorn.  The  climate  north  and 
south  of  the  Amazon,  as  far  as  Eio  de  Janeiro,  at  least, 
is  that  of  the  tropics  in  temperature  and  in  vegetation, 
but  the  cooler  months  south  of  the  equator  are  those 
of  our  Summer,  when  the  southern  hemisphere  has  its 
Winter. 

Should  you  draw  a  line  through  the  continent  from 
east  to  west,  you  will  observe  that  Lima,  Peru,  is 
approximately  on  the  latitude  of  Bahia,  Brazil.  You 
will,  therefore,  naturally  look  to  the  Peruvian  coast 
for  a  climate  similar  to  that  of  Brazil,  as  Peru  is  in 
the  heart  of  the  south  tropical  zone.  Should  you, 
however,  pass  over  from  Brazil  to  Peru,  and  cross  the 
Cordilleras,  you  will  be  surprised  to  observe  an  im- 
mense difference.  The  antarctic  current  which  sweeps 
along  the  Pacific  coast,  as  far  north  as  Cape  Blanco, 
moderates  the  heat  to  such  an  extent  that,  on  the 
coast  of  Peru,  you  forget  that  you  are  in  the  tropics, 
and,  in  the  Winter  months,  you  will  be  sometimes 
obliged  to  use  your  overcoat. 

Southern  Brazil,  Uruguay,  Argentina  and  Chile  are 
in  the  south  temperate  zone.  Although  it  never  snows 
in  northern  Argentina  and  Chile,  yet  the  cold  in  Win- 
ter is  biting,  and  frost  occurs. 


Preparing  for  the  Voyage  19 

The  question  of  the  climate  naturally  suggests  the 
inquiry  as  to  the  best  time  for  South  American  travel. 
For  comfort,  it  would  be  well  to  choose  a  period  be- 
tween the  southern  Summer  with  its  great  heat,  and 
the  Winter  with  its  disagreeable  cold.  March  and 
April  are  the  Autumn  months,  while  September  and 
October  represent  Spring  in  the  southern  hemisphere. 
Should  you  leave  the  United  States  in  January,  you 
might  pass  through  Brazil  or  Peru,  according  to  your 
choice  of  routes,  in  February  and  March.  April  and 
May  can  be  agreeably  spent  in  Chile  and  Argentina, 
though  toward  the  end  of  May  the  cold  is  sometimes 
keenly  felt.  The  return  voyage  may  be  made  through 
Brazil  or  Peru  in  June  and  July  when  the  heat  of 
the  south  tropical  zone  is  less  intense. 

If,  on  the  other  hand,  you  leave  the  United  States 
in  July,  you  may  spend  September,  October,  and  No- 
vember in  the  south  temperate  zone,  and  return  through 
the  tropics,  before  the  great  Summer  heat  begins.  The 
inconvenience,  at  this  time  of  the  year  will  be,  that, 
in  proceeding  southward,  you  will  pass  through  the 
northern  tropic  in  a  warm  season.  But  the  passage 
is  brief. 

The  next  question  of  importance  regards  the  cost. 
Taking  the  minimum  rates,  I  find  that  a  tour  of  the 
South  American  coast  line  can  easily  be  made  for 
little  more  than  five  hundred  dollars.  This  tour  will 
allow  you  to  visit  Bahia,  Kio  de  Janeiro,  Santos,  and 
Sao  Paulo  in  Brazil,  Montevideo  in  Uruguay,  Buenos 
Aires,  Santiago  de  Chile,  Lima  in  Peru,  and  Panama. 
To  enter  into  details,  I  will  itemize  thus: 

New  York  to  Buenos  Aires     .      .     .     |190.00 

Santos  to  S.  Paulo 6.00 

Buenos  Aires  to  Santiago     .     .     .         70.00 


20  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 


Santiago  to  Valparaiso     . 

.      ,           7.00 

Valparaiso  to  Callao  .      .      . 

.     .         70.00 

Callao  to  Lima  and  return     . 

.      .             .40 

Lima  to  Panama     .      .      .     , 

.      .       101.00 

Across  the  Isthmus     . 

.       .       .        2.80 

Panama  to  New  York     . 

.      .         60.00 

1507.20 
These  rates  are,  of  course,  approximate,  but,  that 
they  are  not  far  from  being  correct,  is  proven  by  the 
fact  that  steamship  companies  sell  circular  tickets 
covering  the  same  route  for  the  same  price,  more  or 
less.  This  tour  can  be  made  in  less  than  four  months, 
allowing  for  about  fifty  days  at  sea,  and  two  months  on 
shore.  Taking  your  hotel  bills  to  average  four  dollars 
a  day,  your  board  will  amount  to  about  two  hundred 
and  forty  dollars,  to  which  the  fees  to  attendants  must 
be  added.    On  this  basis,  we  may  calculate  thus : 

Traveling  expenses 1508.00 

Hotel   bills 240.00 

Extras 150.00 


1898.00 
It  will  thus  be  seen  that  a  tour  around  South 
America  can  comfortably  be  made  for  less  than  one 
thousand  dollars.  If,  instead  of  crossing  the  Andes, 
you  should  desire  to  sail  around  the  continent,  through 
the  straits  of  Magellan,  the  difference  in  cost  will  be 
slight. 

This  journey  may  be  made  with  little  or  no  risk 
to  the  traveller  and  with  no  greater  danger  than  one 
would  run  in  passing  through  the  United  States.  If 
there  are  diseases  peculiar  to  the  torrid  zone,  we  must 
not  lose  sight  of  the  fact  that  in  our  own  country  we 


Preparing  for  the  Voyage  21 

have  to  face  constant  perils  in  the  shape  of  typhoid 
and  scarlet  fever,  as  well  as  of  pneumonia  and  diph- 
theria. 

To  be  sure,  there  are  diseases  in  South  America, 
but  the  danger  has  been  sometimes  exaggerated.  In 
the  tropics,  there  is  danger  of  fevers,  but  that  terrible 
disease,  yellow  fever,  is  disappearing,  owing  to  in- 
creased sanitary  precautions.  The  Brazilian  coast  is 
now  almost  free  from  it,  and,  if  Ecuador  would  fall 
into  line,  and  clean  up  Guayaquil,  it  would  soon  dis- 
appear from  the  western  hemisphere. 

Unfortunately,  there  are  still  cases  of  Bubonic 
plague,  both  on  the  Atlantic  and  the  Pacific,  but  this 
is  a  danger,  against  which  the  cautious  traveller  can 
easily  guard  himself. 

There  is  no  reason  why,  with  ordinary  precautions. 
South  American  travel  should  not  be  considered  as  safe 
as  that  of  any  part  of  the  world.  I  speak  of  the 
coast;  for  in  the  interior,  where  long  days  must  be 
spent  on  horseback,  with  the  scantiest  of  accommoda- 
tions, a  robust  constitution  is  required.  Neither  is 
it  safe  for  one  with  a  weak  heart,  or  weak  lungs  to 
undertake  a  journey  to  the  high  altitudes  of  Bolivia 
or  Peru  which  may,  sometimes,  prove  fatal. 

The  next  thing  to  be  considered  is  a  choice  of  route. 
You  may  go  to  South  America  by  the  Atlantic,  return- 
ing along  the  West-Coast,  or  you  may  take  the  Pacific 
route,  and  come  home  via  Brazil.  It  is,  more  or 
less,  a  matter  of  taste,  and  much  will  depend  on  circum- 
stances. Supposing,  that  you  intend  to  follow  my 
route,  we  at  once  proceed  to  obtain  information.  First, 
we  begin  to  read  up  South  America,  in  general  out- 
line and  in  detail,  choosing  one  or  more  works  from 
the  bibliographical  list  attached  to  this  book.  By 
first  studying  the  countries  we  intend  visiting,  we  are 


22  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

prepared  to  seek  and  find  the  objects  in  which  we  art* 
most  apt  to  be  interested,  and  we  avoid  the  loss  of 
much  valuable  time. 

A  slight  knowledge  of  the  languages  spoken  in  the 
lands  of  our  journey  must,  of  course,  prove  to  be  of 
great  value.  Leaving  the  three  Guianas  out  of  the 
question,  it  may  be  remarked  that  two  languages  cover 
the  whole  of  South  America,  Portuguese  in  Brazil, 
and  Spanish  in  the  rest.  Next  to  these  two,  French 
will  be  found  to  be  most  useful,  though  English  and 
German  are,  also,  freely  spoken,  and  there  is  no  lack 
of  English  and  Americans,  travelling  on  business.  You 
will  meet  these  at  the  large  hotels,  on  the  railroads, 
and  on  the  steamers. 

After  acquiring  a  general  information  from  books, 
and  from  conversation  with  those  who  have  been  over 
the  ground,  and  sifting  out  the  details,  you  proceed 
to  the  various  tourist,  and  steamboat  agencies.  Should 
you  desire  to  purchase  a  circular  ticket,  you  may  save 
much  time  and  trouble,  but  you  will,  also,  hamper 
your  freedom  of  movement  which  is,  naturally,  in- 
fluenced by  unforeseen  occurrences,  that  may  cause 
you  to  change  your  programme.  It  is  well  to  obtain 
all  possible  information  before  leaving  the  United 
States,  for  it  is  not  easy  to  be  well  informed  on  the 
journey,  and  tourist  agencies  are  not  easily  found, 
it  they  exist  at  all. 

The  best  information  may  be  obtained  form  the  agen- 
cies of  Thomas  Cook  &  Sons,  and  from  those  of  the 
Hamburg- American,  the  Royal  Mail  Steam  Packet 
Company,  and  the  Lamport  and  Holt  Line.  It  is  a 
great  pity  that  more  cordial  affability  is  wanting 
among  steamship  agents  abroad,  but,  we  must  not  for- 
get, as  one  of  them  told  me  in  the  West  Indies,  that 
they  are  very  busy  men.     Still  it  would  be  well  for 


Preparing  for  the  Voyage  23 

those  gentlemen  to  remember  that,  in  these  days  of 
great  competition,  they  are  not  conferring  any  special 
favor  on  the  patrons  of  their  lines  who  apply  to  them 
for  information. 

You  may  proceed  to  Brazil  and  Argentina  either  by 
way  of  Europe,  or  directly  from  the  United  States. 
Innumerable  steamship  lines  connect  Europe  with 
South  America.  You  may  go  from  Southampton  or 
from  Hamburg,  and  you  may  take  the  Royal  Mail 
Steam  Packet  Company's  boats,  or  those  of  the  Ham- 
burg-American, or  Hamburg  South  American  lines. 
The  Pacific  Steam  Navigation  Company  will  take  you 
to  Brazil  and  Uruguay  and,  through  the  Straits,  to 
the  Pacific  coast.  From  France  you  may  take  the 
Compagnie  Generale,  the  Messageries  Maritimes,  or 
the  Transport  Maritime.  You  will  find  steamers  for 
South  America  from  Denmark,  Holland  and  from  Aus- 
tria, while  an  excellent  and  quick  line  runs  from  Italy. 

The  European  steamers  will,  frequently,  allow  you 
to  catch  glimpses  of  Spain,  Portugal,  Madeira,  the 
Canaries,  and  the  Cape  Verde  Islands,  as  a  number  ol 
them  stop  at  various  ports,  before  reaching  Pernam- 
buco  in  Brazil.  The  price  of  the  journey  is  slightly 
higher,  than  the  direct  route  from  New  York,  and, 
to  the  time  required,  must  be  added  that  of  the  voy- 
age across  the  Atlantic. 

If  your  chioce  is  the  direct  route,  the  Lamport  and 
Holt  is  the  best  line  to  take.  Their  large  new  steamers, 
Vasari  and  Verdi,  will  afford  you  every  comfort  for  the 
long  journey  to  Buenos  Aires,  to  which  they  proceed 
via  Bahia,  Rio  de  Janeiro,  and  Santos.  Other  steam 
ers  of  this  line  stop  at  Rio,  where  a  change  is  made 
for  Argentina.  The  steamers  of  the  Lloyd  Brazileiro 
line  will  take  you  to  Rio,  while  those  of  the  Booth 
line  will  convey  you  to  the  Amazon  up  which  they 
proceed  for  a  long  distance. 


Chapter  II 
THE  VOYAGE 


Types  of  Passengers— Classes  on  Board— The  Verdi— "We're 
Off" — The  American  Flag  Rare  on  the  High  Seas — Con- 
venience of  Travel  Today — Our  Doctor — Operation  for 
Appendicitis — Suggestions — Contagious  Diseases  on  Ship- 
board —  Sports  —  Second  Class  —  Incidents  —  Halley's 
Comet — The  "Wireless" — Neptune's  Visit. 


Sea  voyages,  more  or  less,  resemble  one  another,  and, 
in  these  days  of  ocean  travel,  when  steamships  are 
ploughing  the  sea  in  all  directions,  it  would  seem 
superfluous  to  write  an  account  of  an  ocean  voyage. 
Yet  there  are  incidents  innumerable  to  break  the  mono- 
tony, and  to  furnish  ample,  and  interesting  material. 
It  was  such  incidents  as  these,  gathered  on  a  voyage 
from  Genoa  to  Buenos  Aires,  that  filled  one  of  the 
volumes  of  that  well-known  writer,  De  Amicis,  in  his 
"On  Waters  Blue." 

A  modern  ocean  vessel  is  a  world  in  itself.  Although 
the  cares  and  worries  of  life  seem,  to  a  great  extent, 
left  at  home,  yet  the  inhabitants  of  the  floating  hotel, 
are  human,  very  human.  They  bring  with  them  their 
hopes,  their  ambitions,  and  their  passions,  great  and 
small.  As  a  rule,  their  existence  on  board  ship  makes 
them  fraternize,  and  become  one  family,  yet  the  spirit 
of  criticism  and  gossip  finds  its  way  on  shipboard. 
And  how  many,  and  how  varied  are  the  characters,  and 
temperaments  that  one  meets  I  There  is  the  man,  "hail 
fellow,  well  met,"  who  knows  everybody  from  the  mo- 
ment he  steps  on  board.     Good-natured  fellow,  quite 

24 


The  Voyage  25 

unselfish,  he  tries  to  amuse,  and  succeeds  in  making 
himself  obnoxious  to  the  "sensible"  folk  by  his  fri- 
volities. Quite  opposite  in  manner  is  the  lady,  with 
the  handsome,  but  sphinx-like  face,  who  knows  no  one 
but  her  husband,  to  whom  she  clings,  forgetful  appar- 
ently of  the  rest  of  the  world.  The  man  who  "knows 
it  all"  is  another  character  to  be  found  at  sea  and  on 
land.  Then  there  is  the  sociologist,  the  political  econ- 
omist, and  the  business  man,  ready  to  advise  and  to 
solve  the  knotty  problems  that  agitate  the  mind  of 
humanity.  There  are  the  reserved  people  you  are 
afraid  to  approach  without  an  introduction,  but  who, 
on  better  acquaintance,  are  found  to  be  most  charm- 
ing companions.  There  is  the  young  lady,  solitary  at 
first,  who  permits  a  growing  acquaintance  with  one 
who  monopolizes  her,  until  the  people  begin  to  think, 
if  not  to  say,  that  a  courtship  is  in  progress,  one  of 
those  evanescent  courtships  which  end  abruptly,  when 
the  ship  enters  her  dock,  but  often  leave  a  wound  in 
the  heart. 

The  ocean  vessel  has  its  classes  too,  its  aristocracy 
in  the  first,  its  middle  class  in  the  second,  and  its  pro 
letariat  in  the  steerage.  These  may  travel  together  for 
weeks,  without  knowing  each  other,  except  by  the  oc- 
casional visit  of  one  from  the  first  cabin.  What  tales 
of  sorrow  and  adventure,  what  hopes,  what  fears  ana 
disappointments  lie  hidden  away  down  in  that  lowly 
steerage,  where  even  the  ordinary  comforts  of  life  are 
wanting,  or  in  that  second-class  cabin,  a  step  above  it! 
And  these  people,  rich  and  poor,  great  and  lowly,  of 
all  races,  all  languages,  all  nations,  are  gathered  here 
to  experience  the  same  emotions,  share  the  same  hoped 
and  fears,  and  to  be  exposed  to  the  same  dangers. 
They  have  met  from  all  parts  of  the  globe;  tomorrow 
they  will  part  to  meet  no  more;  but  while  they  are 


26  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

here,  they  are  friends.  The  wide,  illimitable  ocean 
makes  them  such,  and  they  form  one  family.  Day 
after  day,  they  will  be  in  each  other's  company,  behold- 
ing the  same  sky,  the  same  ocean,  and  enduring  the 
monotony  of  the  high  seas. 

It  may  seem  surprising,  that  with  all  the  ships  that 
are  crossing  and  recrossing  the  seas,  so  few  of  them 
are  met.  But  the  ocean  is  wide,  and  a  ship  is  only  a 
dot  on  its  surface.  This  is  especially  true  of  the  South 
American  route,  where  weeks  may  be  spent,  without 
meeting  a  single  sail  between  New  York  and  Bahia. 

As  a  rule,  the  voyage  is  pleasant,  and  one  sails  on 
Summer  seas.  A  brief  account  of  my  own  voyage  may 
serve  as  a  type. 

The  Verdi  of  the  Lamport  and  Holt  line  is  a  young 
ship,  only  three  years  old  at  this  writing;  but  the  line 
is  old;  for  Lamport  and  Holt  have  been  carrying  on 
trade  between  South  America,  Europe,  and  the  United 
States  over  sixty  years.  The  passenger  service,  how- 
ever, is  of  comparatively  recent  development.  Their 
newest  vessels  the  Verdi,  and  the  Vasari,  the  one  of 
8,000,  and  the  other  of  12,000  tons,  are  up-to-date  ships, 
and  quite  comfortable.  The  company  is  building  two 
twinscrew  steamers  that  bid  fair  to  compete  with  the 
great  "transatlantics."  These  ships  are  built  with  a 
view  to  the  tropics.  Speaking  for  the  Verdi,  I  can  say 
that  her  rooms  are  quite  comfortable,  well  ventilated 
and  cool,  and  electric  fans  are  everywhere.  There  are 
no  inside  rooms. 

We  were  booked  to  leave  Brooklyn  at  12.30  on  April 
20  from  the  out  of  the  way,  and  not  easily  accessible 
docks  near  the  Fulton  Ferry  Landing.  Unless  you 
telephone  in  time  for  a  carriage  to  meet  you  at  the 
landing,  you  will  have  quite  a  walk  with  bag  and  bag- 
gage through  a  dirty  street,  with  warehouses  on  one 


The  Voyage  27 

side,  and  docks  on  the  other.  But  arriving  on  board, 
you  will  meet  with  great  courtesy  on  the  part  of  the 
officers  and  men,  and  everything  will  be  done  to  make 
you  comfortable. 

We  did  not  get  out  of  our  dock,  until  about  2  p.  m. 
to  the  tune  of  "Auld  Lang  Syne,"  played  on  a  cornet  by 
Mr.  Conway,  one  of  the  stewards  and  musicians.  We 
had  hardly  cleared  the  docks,  than  we  sat  down  to 
lunch,  each  one  to  a  place  of  his  choice.  Before  dinner, 
in  the  evening,  places  were  assigned  by  the  chief 
steward. 

In  a  few  hours,  we  had  passed  the  "Hook,"  and  we 
broke  our  last  link  with  home,  when  the  pilot  went 
down  the  side  of  the  ship  with  his  bag  of  mail,  and 
the  messages  to  the  loved  ones  w^  were  leaving.  To- 
morrow we  shall  find  ourselves  solitary  and  alone, 
for  American  trade  to  South  America  is  scarce.  Not  a 
steamer  on  this  route  carries  the  American  flag,  a  flag 
once  seen  in  every  port,  when  the  United  States  was 
less  powerful  than  it  is  now,  but,  at  present,  a  rara  avis 
away  from  our  own  coasts.  There  are  several 
freight  lines  going  from  the  United  States  to  South 
America,  such  as  the  Barber,  and  Norton  lines  which 
operate  tramp  steamers,  the  Booth,  the  Houston,  and 
the  line  of  W.  K.  Grace. 

How  much  more  convenient  is  travel  today  from 
what  it  was  to  our  fathers,  or  even  a  few  years  ago! 
I  went,  in  1871,  from  the  West  Indies  to  Europe  in  a 
three  thousand  ton  vessel  with  side  wheels.  The 
cabins  were  all  below  the  deck,  or  around  the  dining 
saloon.  At  night  we  had  nothing  but  oil  lamps  which 
were  put  out  at  10  o'clock.  Compare  that  with  the 
luxurious  steamships  of  today.  Even  seasickness  is 
diminishing.     Ships  are  more  steady,  they  are  better 


28  Lcmds  of  the  Southern  Cross 

ventilated,  and  the  noxious  ship  odors  no  longer  trouble 
our  olfactory  organs. 

In  proceeding  from  the  United  States  to  Argentina, 
we  pass  through  three  zones,  the  north  temperate,  the 
torrid,  and  the  south  temperate.  Night  after  night, 
we  note  the  gradual  descent  of  the  circumpolar  con- 
stellations, until  the  splendid  Southern  Cross  arises 
from  the  sea,  and  Polaris  sets,  to  rise  no  more.  The 
Southe7^7i  Cross  consists  of  four  stars,  one  of  the  first 
magnitude,  and  a  smaller  star  on  the  right,  making 
in  all  five.  The  four  larger  stars  form  an  irregular 
cross,  of  which  the  star  nearest  the  horizon  points 
southwards,  while  the  others  indicate  approximately 
the  three  remaining  cardinal  points. 

If  you  leave  New  York  in  Winter  or  Spring,  it  is 
apt  to  be  cool,  and  you  may  encounter  heavy  seas; 
but  as  we  advance  southward,  the  waters  become  calm- 
er, and  the  air  grows  warmer,  until  you  seem  to  move 
on  an  inland  sea,  and  old  Atlantic  begins  to  treat  us 
with  a  gentle  hand.  As  we  cross  the  tropic  of  Cancer, 
the  heat  increases,  though  often  tempered  by  the  cool 
breezes  from  the  ocean.  Officers  and  passengers  doff 
their  Winter  clothing,  and  the  former,  with  some  of 
the  latter,  appear  in  white. 

Our  passengers  were  nearly  all  persons  going  to 
South  America  with  a  purpose,  several  being  drawn  by 
the  approaching  exposition  at  Buenos  Aires,  but  of 
tourists,  and  pure  pleasure  seekers  there  were  few, 
if  any.  One,  whom  I  should  mention,  was  the  Italian, 
Dorando  Pietri  of  Marathon  fame,  who  was  going  to 
run  in  South  America.  This  unassuming  young  man, 
one  of  the  champion  runners  of  the  world,  is  an  agree- 
able companion.  Among  others,  were  two  commission- 
ers of  the  United  States  to  the  Fine  Arts  Exposition 


The  Voyage  29 

of  Argentina  and  Chile,  Messrs.  Trask  and  Browne, 
and  the  Spanish  singer,  Constantino. 

Our  doctor,  F.  E.  Warden,  is  a  pleasant  man.  It 
is  not  long,  since  he  performed  an  operation  on  ship- 
board for  appendicitis  without  much  flourish  of  trum- 
pet, which  is  worth  recording.  The  captain  had  offered 
to  stop  the  ship,  but,  reflecting  that  the  long  swell 
would  cause  still  greater  motion,  the  doctor  preferred 
that  she  should  keep  on  her  course. 

On  October  5,  1909,  James  Young,  a  steward,  was 
laid  up  with  a  cold,  and  cough,  and  with  gastro-intes- 
tinal  pains.  The  steamer  Byron  of  the  Lamport  and 
Holt  line,  was  homeward  bound.  It  was  October  12, 
in  latitude  30.14  degrees  north,  and  longitude  47.38 
west,  when  the  doctor  and  the  patient  agreed  upon 
an  operation,  a^  the  disease  had  been  recognized  as 
appendicitis,  and  medical  remedies  had  failed.  I  will 
here  copy  from  the  doctor's  logbook : 

"James  Young.  Temperature  100,  pain  persistent, 
and  located  in  region  of  appendix.  At  10  a.  m.,  Mr. 
Young  and  I  determined  upon  a  surgical  operation  for 
the  removal  of  the  vermiform  appendix.  A.  O.  Mills 
was  to  continue  the  giving  of  the  ether  or  chloroform, 
Duffy  was  to  hold  the  instruments,  and  Heffernan  to 
assist.  Sheets,  towels,  and  dressings  were  sterilized. 
The  assistants  took  a  hot  bath,  and,  also,  the  doctor. 
The  table  of  the  second  class,  antiseptized,  was  covered 
with  sterile  sheets;  instruments  were  boiled,  and  put 
in  soda  and  carbolic  solution. 

"At  11.20  a.  m.  began  administering  ether.  At 
12.20  p.  m.  operation  performed,  appendix  removed, 
wound  closed,  and  patient  in  bed.  It  became  necessarj', 
on  account  of  adhesion  to  the  appendix  to  bring  out 
upon  sterile  towels  some  five  or  six  feet  of  small  bowel, 
adjacent  to  the  iliacoecal  valve,  until  the  caecum,  and 


30  Lands  of  the  Southern  Gross 

appendix  appeared,  cleansing  the  small  bowel  with  a 
saline  solution.  They  were  returned  to  the  abdomen, 
and  the  appendix  removed,  the  stump  touched  with 
phenol,  sewed  up  with  catgut,  and  returned.  The 
tissues  were  separately  sewed  up,  and  the  skin  wound 
closed.  At  3  p.  m.  the  patient  complained  of  slight 
nausea.  The  pain  ceased  the  first  time  in  four  days. 
As  soon  as  rational,  from  anaesthetic,  he  said  he  had 
no  pain,  except  a  slight  soreness  over  wound." 

The  patient  completely  recovered,  and  he  is  again 
at  work.  The  doctor  told  me,  that  he  once  had  a  case 
of  diphtheria  on  the  Byron,  which  they  managed  to 
conceal  so  completely,  that  only  the  captain  and  chief 
engineer  knew  of  its  existence,  besides  the  doctor  him- 
self. It  is  not  pleasant  to  be  at  sea  with  a  contagioui?^ 
disease.  On  one  of  my  voyages,  an  Italian  child 
in  the  steerage  was  attacked  by  scarlet  fever.  The 
doctor  isolated  the  whole  family,  consisting  of  father, 
mother  and  two  children  in  the  room  on  deck,  utilized 
as  hospital.  It  was  not  long  before  the  mother  had 
caught  the  disease.  In  a  few  days,  alarming  symptoms 
were  discovered,  and  one  night,  being  summoned  by 
the  doctor,  I  proceeded  to  administer  to  her  the  con- 
solations of  religion.  It  would  have  been  interesting 
to  my  friends  to  see  me  standing  by  the  woman^s  berth, 
clad  in  the  doctor's  white  duck  jacket,  the  husband  just 
outside  the  door  with  the  baby  in  his  arms,  and  another 
child  lying  asleep,  while  the  few  lights  cast  an  uncer- 
tain glare  over  the  ship  at  that  midnight  hour.  It 
was  a  picture  worth  remembering.  Our  doctor  did 
what  he  could  to  alleviate  the  distress  of  the  sufferers, 
with  the  slender  means  at  his  disposal.  These  occur- 
rences, and  impressions  made  on  me  on  different  voy- 
ages have  brought  some  suggestions  to  my  mind. 


The  Voyage  31 

On  every  ship  carrying  passengers,  there  should  be, 
in  proportion  to  the  number  carried,  stewardesses  for 
the  second  class  and  steerage.  One,  if  not  more  of 
these,  should  be  a  trained  nurse.  In  every  ship,  there 
should  be  a  comfortable  locality,  where  contagious  dis- 
eases may  be  isolated.  In  matters  of  health,  the  doc- 
tor's regulations  should  be  supreme,  and  whatever  he 
orders  for  the  sick,  should  be  given  them. 

One  morning  the  doctor  came  to  the  conclusion  that 
it  would  be  better,  on  arrival  at  the  next  port,  and  on 
reporting  the  case  to  the  health  authorities,  to  put 
the  family  ashore  at  the  expense  of  the  company,  until, 
after  recovery,  they  might  be  continued  to  their  destina- 
tion. He  suggested  to  me  to  accompany  him  to  the 
captain  with  the  proposal.  We  ascended  the  ladder  to 
the  bridge  deck,  and  knocked  at  the  captain's  door. 
As  we  entered,  the  latter  seemed  surprised  to  see  me 
with  the  doctor.  He  would  not  hear  of  the  proposition, 
said  that  they  were  responsible  for  the  people,  and 
that  the  hospital  ashore  could  not  be  relied  upon.  He 
appeared  displeased  at  the  suggestion.  The  fact  is, 
that  the  passengers'  contract  supposes  that  infectious 
patients  be  put  ashore  at  their  own  expense.  Still  I 
could  not  but  admire  the  humanitarian  sentiments  of 
the  captain,  and,  in  the  end,  I  was  glad,  that  we  had 
conveyed  the  poor  people  to  their  destination,  though 
in  a  case  like  this,  it  would  seem  that  the  common 
good  should  prevail  over  any  individual  consideration. 
It  was  almost  impossible  to  isolate  the  patients.  The 
door  of  their  room  opened  on  the  deck.  This  door  had 
to  be  left  open,  as  it  was  almost  the  only  means  of 
ventilating  the  miserable  and  wretched  place,  dignified 
by  the  name  of  hospital.  Passengers  from  the  second 
class,  and  steerage,  as  well  as  members  of  the  crew, 
were  constantly  passing  to  and  fro,  before  the  open 


32  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

door,  or  congregating  in  the  neighborhood.  The  feel- 
ing that  one  has  on  board  a  contagious  disease  which 
may  spread  at  any  moment,  is  by  no  means  a  pleasant 
one. 

A  feature  of  the  Lamport  and  Holt  line  is  that  the 
officers  mingle  freely  with  the  passengers,  thus  produc- 
ing mutually  the  most  agreeable  relations. 

To  break  the  monotony  of  the  voyage,  various  sports 
are  organized  with  prize  competitions,  under  the  direc- 
tion of  the  purser,  each  of  the  gentlemen  contributing 
a  small  sum,  for  the  purchase  of  prizes  from  the  barber 
shop.  These  competitions  were  held  during  the  beauti- 
ful tropical  afternoons  on  the  deck,  that  was  gaily 
decorated  with  flags. 

The  second  class  and  steerage  passengers  must  get 
up  their  own  amusements,  but  with  the  exception  of 
a  phonograph,  grinding  out  Spanish  songs,  and  an 
occassional  game  of  cards,  I  saw  little  evidence  of 
sports  aft,  where  the  second  and  third  classes  were 
located.  There  is  much  to  be  desired  in  the  accommo- 
dations of  these  two  classes,  though  it  is  to  be  presumed, 
that  with  the  improvement  of  the  ships,  these  will 
improve  also. 

The  rates  for  the  first  class  are  |190  as  minimum, 
and  |220  as  maximum  rates  from  New  York  to  Buenos 
Aires,  though,  from  what  I  have  seen,  I  prefer  the 
rooms  of  the  minimum  rate  to  the  higher  priced  ones 
which  have  the  advantage  of  a  superior  location. 

Every  little  incident  on  shipboard  attracts  atten- 
tion. The  first  Sunday  out,  a  bird  of  the  plover  variety 
was  picked  up  on  deck  early  in  the  morning.  The 
little  animal  had,  probably,  strayed  away,  or  it  had 
been  carried  out  to  sea,  and  no  doubt,  had  sought 
refuge  on  the  ship.  When  set  at  liberty,  it  showed 
itself  quite  tame,  walking  about  among  the  passengers. 


TJw  Voyage  33 

Then  it  would  fly  away,  and  return,  until  it,  finally, 
disappeared  altogether. 

The  observation  of  the  phenomena  of  nature  affords, 
also,  much  agreeable  occupation.  It  is  a  fallacy  to 
suppose  that  there  is  neither  dawn  nor  twilight  in 
the  tropics,  for  both  are  well  defined,  though  the  transi- 
tion is  more  sudden  than  in  higher  latitudes,  becoming 
more  so  as  one  approaches  the  equator. 

By  mutual  agreement,  a  number  of  gentlemen,  among 
them  the  writer,  were  awakened  at  four  in  the  morning 
of  April  28  to  see  Halley's  comet.  Coffee  was 
served  in  the  saloon.  The  visitor  from  afar  was  dis- 
tinctly visible  in  the  sky,  with  a  well  defined  tail, 
pointing  away  from  the  sun,  and  a  luminous  body. 
In  the  same  region  of  the  heavens  shone  Venus  with 
remarkable  beauty.  We  had  the  pleasure  of  observing 
the  comet  again  and  again,  as  it  approached  nearer  to 
the  earth,  until  we  reached  Buenos  Aires. 

The  Verdi  is  equipped  with  wireless  telegraphy.  The 
first  days  out,  communication  with  the  land  was  very 
difficult  owing  to  constant  electrical  disturbances 
around  us  which  not  only  hampered  the  operator,  but, 
also,  manifested  themselves  by  flashes  of  lightning. 
With  some  difficulty  we  kept  in  touch  with  Atlantic 
City,  and  I  succeeded  in  sending  a  message  home  by 
one  of  the  steamers  of  the  Royal  Mail  Steam  Packet 
Company  at  Bermuda.  Later  on  we  communicated 
with  the  men-of-war,  Chester  and  Montana,  about 
900  miles  ahead  of  us. 

On  crossing  the  line,  the  whistle  blew  a  strong  blast. 
We  were  in  the  southern  hemisphere.  The  old,  and 
time-honored  custom  of  Neptune  and  his  wife  coming 
on  board  was  not  observed  until  evening.  An  elabor- 
ately worked,  and  artistically  decorated  proclamation 
had  been  posted  up  in  the  morning,  with  the  names 


34  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

of  passengers  who,  not  having  crossed  the  line,  were 
subject  to  the  initiation  of  Neptune's  realm.  The  piece, 
done  in  water  color,  was  made  by  the  chief  steward. 
The  picture  of  a  sixteenth  century  ship  headed  it. 
While  the  passengers  were  at  dinner,  the  lights  in  the 
dining  saloon  went  out,  and  far  off  cries  fell  upon 
their  ears.  Neptune  had  just  arrived  on  board.  In  a 
few  moments  a  white  clad  figure  entered,  to  announce 
that  it  was  the  soul  of  a  departed  passenger.  The 
devil,  or  Mephistopheles,  in  red  attire,  entered  to  pro- 
claim that  those  who  should  withdraw  from  Neptune's 
jurisdiction  would  fall  into  his  power.  The  bartender, 
a  consummate  actor  and  mimic,  was  Mephistopheles. 
At  half  past  eight,  the  bugle  sounded,  and  a  great 
number  of  the  passengers  assembled  on  the  deck  aft. 
The  construction  of  modern  steamships  is  so  varied, 
and  so  changing,  that  one  hardly  knows  how  to  desig- 
nate any  portion  of  the  deck,  at  a  given  period.  I 
viewed  the  ceremony  from  the  bridge  deck,  above. 
A  large  water  tank  of  canvas  had  been  prepared.  At 
the  sound  of  fairly  good  music,  Neptune  and  his  attend- 
ants entered,  and  took  up  their  positions.  Then  began 
a  wild  dance,  to  the  sound  of  the  "tom  tom,"  remind- 
ing one  of  an  Indian,  or  African  dance.  Mephisto- 
pheles now  began  to  call  out  the  names  of  passengers, 
by  means  of  a  megaphone.  Three  ladies,  by  their 
own  wish,  were  initiated.  So  far ;  so  well.  After  this, 
the  show  degenerated  into  a  rough  and  tumble  horse 
play.  The  first  lady  knelt  before  Neptune.  Questions 
were  put  to  her,  and  her  replies  were  announced  by 
megaphone,  then  a  mixture  of  something  like  ginger 
ale  and  whiskey  was  poured  into  her  mouth,  she  was 
smeared  with  flour,  and  a  pretense  was  made  of  giv- 
ing her  a  shave,  and,  finally,  she  was  pushed  into  the 
tank.     Two  other  ladies  followed.     It  is  needless  to 


The  Voyage  35 

state  that  their  appearance  after  the  bath,  was  far 
from  graceful. 

The  male  passengers  were  now  subjected  to  treat- 
ment more  or  less  rough,  and  pandemonium  began. 
There  was  a  general  splashing  about  in  the  water, 
Neptune's  attendants  plunging  in  indiscriminately, 
and,  in  fact,  some  unseen  hand  threw  Mephistopheles 
into  the  water,  to  the  great  discomfiture  of  that  gentle- 
man. Gradually  the  passengers  retired,  and  the  show 
went  out. 

The  performance  would,  to  my  taste,  have  been  more 
interesting  had  it  been  less  rough.  The  performers 
were  stewards  aided  by  a  few  passengers.  I  can 
imagine  a  play  like  this  among  the  rough  sailors  of 
our  fast  departing  sailing  ships,  but  it  seemed  un- 
dignified for  a  large  passenger  steamer.  I  am  told, 
however,  that  this  old  custom  is  falling  into  desuetude. 
In  some  regards,  it  is  a  pity,  and  it  may  well  be  con- 
tinued, provided  no  one  be  forced  into  the  tank  against 
his  will.  In  these  days,  when  the  poetry  of  the  sea 
is  disappearing,  it  is  refreshing  to  preserve  some  things 
that  remind  one  of  bygone  days. 

Before  I  close  this  chapter,  I  consider  it  a  pleasant 
duty  to  mention  our  most  courteous  Captain  Byrne, 
a  gentleman  in  every  respect.  His  afternoon  "teas,'' 
at  which  he  was  accustomed  to  invite  several  of  the 
passengers  in  turn,  contributed  their  share,  toward 
breaking  the  monotony  of  the  voyage. 


Chapter  III 


ARRIVAL  IN  BRAZIL 

Brazilian  Coast  Line — First  Harbingers  of  Land — Brazilian 
Ports — Harbor  of  Bahia — Entering  a  Port — Brazilian 
Money — Landing  at  Bahia — American  Consulate — Modern 
Conveniences  —  Business  —  Religion  —  The  Cathedral  — 
Protestantism — Return  to  the  Ship. 

Our  good  ship  the  Verdi  had  sailed  from  New  York 
almost  in  a  straight  line,  passing  the  Bermuda  Is- 
lands which  were  not  sighted.  At  Cape  S.  Roque, 
the  coast  of  Brazil  deflects  more  toward  the  south.  As 
we,  too,  turned  southward,  a  long  stretch  of  invisible 
coast  line  lay  behind  us.  Far  away  to  the  northwest 
on  the  equatorial  line,  the  great  Amazon  was  pouring 
its  waters  into  the  sea,  but  we  were  now  below  the 
fifth  parallel  of  southern  latitude,  nearing  the  coast. 
Brazil,  the  largest  country  in  South  America,  has  a 
coast  line  nearly  6,500  kilometers,  or  more  then  4,000 
miles  in  length,  which  extends  from  latitude  4°  20'  45" 
north,  to  latitude  33°  46'  10"  south.  Although  the 
far  greater  portion  of  the  country  is  in  the  tropics, 
it  will  be  seen,  by  looking  at  the  map,  that  no  incon- 
siderable territory  lies  in  the  south  temperate  zone. 

The  first  harbingers  of  land  appeared  on  Sunday, 
May  1st,  in  the  shape  of  a  flock  of  boobies.  They  camt, 
as  though  to  announce  that  we  were  approaching  the 
coast,  nor  were  they  followed  by  others.     The  sight 

36 


Arrival  in  Brazil  37 

of  land  is  most  welcome,  when  one  has  spent  weeks, 
or  even  days  at  sea,  and  no  matter  how  much  the 
ocean  is  loved,  the  land  is  always  hailed  with  delight. 
We  had  seen  only  one  ship,  since  leaving  New  York, 
and  hence  we  were  much  pleased  when,  about  this 
time,  several  vessels  were  sighted.  This  was  another 
sign  of  land.  Finally,  on  the  morning  of  May  2d, 
the  Brazilian  coast  lay  to  starboard  to  rejoice  our 
heart.  The  first  city  of  which  we  were  to  catch  a 
glimpse  in  the  distance  was  Kecife  of  Pernambuct>. 
Many  of  the  European  steamers  stop  at  this  port,  but 
the  Lamport  and  Holt  line  passes  it. 

North  of  this  port,  Brazil  possesses  several  well- 
known  harbors.  Para,  also  known  as  Belem,  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Amazon,  is  the  capital  of  the  state  ol 
that  name.  Manaos,  a  thousand  miles  up  the  river, 
is  the  chief  city  of  the  state  of  Amazonas,  and  the 
center  of  the  rubber  trade.  The  largest  steamers  can 
come  up  the  river  to  Manaos.  Further  down  the 
coast,  midway  between  Para  and  Pernambuco,  lies 
Maranhao,  with  a  trade  in  sugar  and  cotton.  The 
exports  of  Pernambuco  consists  principally  of  sugar, 
cotton,  hides,  skins,  and  rum. 

There  is,  also,  a  great  deal  of  fishing  on  the  coast, 
to  judge  from  the  number  of  fishing  crafts  met  with 
many  miles  out  to  sea.  These  vessels,  if  vessels  they 
may  be  named,  are  rafts  made  of  logs  fastened  together, 
known  as  "Jangadas."  They  carry  a  mast  and  sail. 
Seats  are  placed  on  the  raft,  but  as  the  water  splashes 
over  the  logs,  the  feet  of  the  fishermen  are  always 
wet.  They  go  out  to  a  distance  of  twenty,  or  thirty 
miles  from  the  coast. 

The  land  remained  in  sight  all  day,  sometimes  low, 
and  again  rising  into  distant  mountain  ranges  that 


38  .  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

run  parallel  to  the  coast  in  eastern  Brazil.  At  inter- 
vals smoke  was  to  be  seen,  which,  no  doubt,  proceeded 
from  the  sugar  plantations.  On  the  following  day, 
long  stretches  of  beach  were  often  visible.  The  land- 
scape was  varied  with  very  white  cliffs,  and  with  cul- 
tivated lands.  We  approached  nearer  and  nearer  to 
the  coast,  until  we  ran  into  the  Bay  of  Bahia,  a 
name  which  signifies  "bay,"  and  which  is  borne  by 
one  of  the  provinces  of  Brazil.  The  city  itself,  gen- 
erally called  Bahia,  is  really  S.  Salvador,  although  it 
is  seldom  designated  by  that  name  outside  of  Brazil. 
Bahia  is  about  400  miles  south  of  Pernambuco.  Our 
Verdi  made  a  record  run  from  New  York  to  Bahia 
in  less  than  thirteen  days. 

The  scenery,  upon  entering  the  harbor,  which  is 
regarded  as  one  of  the  best  in  the  world,  is  splendid. 
First  the  hill,  known  as  the  Barra,  at  the  entrance, 
becomes  more  and  more  distinct,  crowned  with  the 
church  of  S.  Antonio  da  Barra,  until  the  panorama  of 
the  town,  upper  and  lower,  with  its  varied  details, 
stands  outlined  before  you. 

Great  is  the  excitement  on  board  ship,  on  entering 
a  port,  after  weeks  at  sea.  Eyes  are  strained,  and 
all  are  eager  to  seize  upon  every  feature  of  the  occa- 
sion. We  cast  our  anchor  a  mile  or  two  from  shore, 
about  four  in  the  afternoon.  The  first  incident  of  note 
was  the  arrival  of  the  doctor  and  of  the  police  authori- 
ties. They  came  in  separate  boats.  The  visit  of  the 
doctor  is  anxiously  awaited,  on  entering  a  port,  for 
no  one  may  land,  until  he  has  given  his  fiat,  and  the 
yellow  flag  is  lowered.  He  is  received  at  the  head  of 
the  ladder  by  the  ship's  doctor,  who  gives  him  his 
report,  and  the  ship's  bill  of  health.  The  police  au- 
thorities were  accompanied  by  a  considerable  number 
of  colored  men  in  sailor  attire,  with  swords  dangling 


Arrival  in  Brazil  39 

from  their  sides.  They  seemed  to  be  quite  aware  of 
their  importance. 

Loading,  and  unloading  now  begins,  and  great  light- 
ers are  towed  alongside.  At  the  foot  of  the  ladder,  a 
large  number  of  boats,  manned  by  colored  men,  are 
rising  and  falling  on  the  swell,  with  the  boatmen 
clamoring  at  the  top  of  their  voices  for  passengers. 
Before  going  ashore,  you  strike  a  bargain  with  your 
boatman.  The  most  economical  way  is  to  form  a  party. 
There  were  six  in  ours.  Agree  for  the  return  trip, 
and  be  sure  not  to  pay  until  you  have  returned  to  the 
vessel,  lest  the  boatman  have  you  at  his  mercy.  On 
landing,  remember  the  name  of  your  boat,  and  it» 
position  at  the  wharf,  and  designate  the  hour  of  your 
return.  The  usual  fee  for  the  round  trip  is  two  mil- 
reis,  which  at  the  rate  of  exchange  then  prevailing, 
amounted  to  about  62  cents.  It  is  well  to  obtain  a 
certain  amount  of  Brazilian  money  from  the  purser, 
a  day  or  two,  before  your  arrival.  At  present  the 
Brazilian  currency  is  mostly  paper,  but  it  seems  that 
an  effort  is  making  to  accumulate  a  gold  reserve  in 
the  treasury,  and  to  issue  certificates,  with  the  with- 
drawal of  the  old,  and  dirty  paper  from  circulation. 
As  Brazilian  money  is  rather  puzzling  to  the  uniniti- 
ated, it  is  well  to  learn  something  of  it  before  going 
ashore.  Our  amiable,  and  obliging  purser,  Mr.  K.  A. 
Hulse,  was  always  most  willing  to  impart  informa- 
tion, and  I  am  especially  indebted  to  him  for  the 
knowledge  I  acquired  in  this  regard.  The  values  of 
Brazilian  currency  are  approximately  as  follows,  but 
the  fluctuation  of  exchange  must  be  borne  in  mind : 

Notes.  One  thousand  milreis  (1000?000)  or  one 
conto  de  ruo  is  valued  at  $315.00. 


.57.50 

lOfOOO— : 

1    3.05 

59.00 

5|000== 

1.55 

29.50 

2|000r=: 

.62 

14.75 

1$000= 

.31 

6.10 

(old  large; 

new 

small  )=| 

.62 

z=z 

.31 
.15-4 

= 

.12-i 

(old  large; 

new 

small  )  = 

.07 

z 

.03-J 
.02 

40  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 


2OOIOOO11Z 
1001000= 
501000= 
201000= 
Silver  ■ 
21000 
IfOOO 
500  reis 
Nickel : 

400  reis 
200     '' 
100     " 
50     " 

The  copper  coins  are  40,  20,  10  and  5  reis. 
One  milreis  is  written  1$000.     The  figures  30|264 
must  be  read  30  milreis  and  264  reis. 

Our  boatman  took  us  ashore  for  one  and  a  half 
milreis  for  each  person  for  the  round  trip.  The  boat 
was  manned  by  two  colored  men,  a  sail  was  hoisted, 
and  oars  were  also  used.  It  took  us  three  quarters 
of  an  hour,  to  reach  the  shore.  French,  German  and 
Brazilian  steamers  lay  in  the  harbor,  besides  a  few 
square  rigged  vessels.  Dodging  lighters  and  small 
boats,  we  finally  reached  the  wharf,  and  stepped  on 
land.  It  was  like  dropping  suddenly  into  a  new  world. 
By  a  pleasing  coincidence.  May  3,  on  which  we  landed 
is  the  anniversary  of  the  discovery  of  the  country.  Ot 
course  it  is  a  national  holiday,  and,  therefore,  official 
business  was  suspended,  and  the  consulates  were  fly- 
ing their  respective  flags.  Although  Vicente  Yafiez 
Pinzon  had  first  discovered  the  northern  coast  of 
Brazil  from  Cape  San  Augustin  to  Cape  Orange  in 


Arrival  in  Brazil  41 

1500,  it  was  Cabral  who,  sighting  land  on  April  22, 
1500,  anchored  at  Porto  Seguro  in  the  state  of  Bahia, 
and  first  took  possession  of  the  country  in  the  name  of 
the  king  of  Portugal.  Brazil  celebrates  the  anniver- 
sary on  May  3.  Bahia  is  the  third  largest  city  of 
Brazil,  with  a  population  which  twenty  years  ago 
amounted  to  200,000  and  now  is  nearer  300,000.  It 
immediately  followed  Rio  de  Janeiro,  being  equal  to 
S.  Paulo.  A  very  large  proportion  of  this  population, 
some  say  80  per  cent,  is  of  negro  blood.  This  is  the 
residuum  of  the  slave  trade  that  once  flourished  here. 
Hence  it  is  that  negroes  and  mulattoes  are  everywhere 
in  abundance,  though  they  do  not  give  the  same 
poverty-stricken  impression  as  the  negroes  of  the  West 
Indian  Islands. 

The  city  is  built  against  the  hills  with  an  upper  and 
a  lower  town.  To  proceed  from  one  to  the  other,  you 
may  follow  the  old  time  way  of  walking  up,  take  the 
incline  railway,  or  either  of  two  elevators,  constructed 
by  the  Otis  Elevator  Company. 

On  the  wharf,  as  you  land,  you  may  purchase  fruit, 
or  other  native  products.  Especially  noticeable  are  the 
little  marmosets  or  monkeys,  hardly  larger  than  a  good 
sized  rat. 

After  going  up  to  the  town  above  by  an  elevator, 
we  set  out  in  search  of  the  American  consulate,  as  the 
newly  appointed  consul  to  Bahia,  Mr.  B.  F.  Warner, 
was  of  our  party.  The  sight  of  the  American  flag  was 
most  agreeable,  and  we  received  a  hearty  welcome  from 
the  vice-consul  who  remained  with  us,  until  our  return 
to  the  ship.  The  people  of  whom  we  made  any  in- 
quiries were  invariably  polite,  though  no  one  seemed 
to  pay  much  attention  to  us,  unless  spoken  to.  It  is 
evident,  that  the  inhabitants  of  Bahia  are  quite  ac- 


42  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

customed  to  the  presence  of  strangers.  There  was  no 
obtrusion  on  the  part  of  importunate  venders,  though 
we  observed  a  few  beggars  seated  at  various  points, 
and  imploring  alms  in  that  pitiful  tone  of  voice, 
so  characteristic  of  the  Latin  beggar,  who  seeks  your 
charity  with  a  prayer  on  his  lips. 

Bahia  may  boast  of  a  number  of  modern  conveni- 
ences, besides  its  elevators,  such  as  electric  cars  of 
Philadelphia  construction,  and  electric  lighting.  In 
spite  of  these  modern  improvements,  the  city  retains 
its  colonial  appearance,  perhaps  more  so  than  other 
cities  of  Brazil. 

Business  seems  here  to  be  principally  in  the  hands 
of  Germans,  though  there  are  a  number  of  English 
residents.  Americans  are  very  few.  The  tobacco  trade 
is  especially  prominent  here,  but  there  is,  also,  com- 
merce in  coffee,  cocoa,  tobacco,  skins  and  wood. 

Among  the  many  investments  of  capital  in  Brazil, 
railroads  are  especially  prominent.  The  first  railroad 
dates  from  1856.  It  ran  from  the  bay  of  Eio,  to  the  foot 
of  the  mountain  upon  which  Petropolis  stands.  Most 
of  the  early  lines  were  built  with  the  assistance  of  the 
government,  though,  at  present,  a  considerable  amount 
of  foreign  capital  is  invested  in  them.  Toward  the 
end  of  the  empire,  there  were  about  5,273  miles  of  rail- 
road in  operation,  and  since  the  beginning  of  the  repub- 
lic a  great  many  more  have  been  added.  Several  rail- 
way lines  exist  in  the  state  of  Bahia. 

A  casual  visitor  to  the  city,  like  myself,  may  gain 
much  information  regarding  the  life  of  the  people  by 
the  careful  perusal  of  a  daily  paper,  like  the  Jornal  de 
Noticias.  The  opinions  of  individuals  in  private  con- 
versation must  be  taken  with  caution,  as  they  are  apt 
to  be  biased  by  political,  as  well  as  religious  preju- 
dices. 


Arrival  in  Brazil  43 

The  Jornal  de  Noticias  deplores  the  decrease  of 
intellectual  life  which  was  once  a  characteristic  of 
the  city.  That  it  is  not  extinct,  however,  is  evidenced 
by  the  public  lectures  that  seem  to  be  in  favor.  One 
was  announced  for  the  day  of  my  visit  to  Bahia  in  the 
hall  of  the  Italian  Beneficial  Society,  on  "A  Journey 
across  the  Americas." 

Although  Church  and  State  are  no  longer  united  in 
Brazil,  as  they  were  in  the  days  of  the  empire,  there  be- 
ing now  no  official  church,  the  Roman  Catholic  religion 
is  still  the  prevailing  religion  of  the  people.  Bahia  is 
full  of  churches,  many  of  them  being  quite  old.  As  the 
day  declined,  the  sweet  sound  of  church  bells  fell  upon 
our  ears,  the  summons,  no  doubt,  to  the  devotions  of  the 
month  of  Mary,  which  were  conducted,  as  I  learned, 
in  a  number  of  churches  and  chapels,  either  in  the 
morning,  or  at  various  hours  of  the  day  and  evening. 
They,  also,  take  place  in  private  chapels,  like  that 
attached  to  the  residence  of  Senhor  Joao  Taveres  da 
Silva,  where  they  were  held  with  great  splendor. 

On  the  great  square,  known  as  the  Praza  de  Palacio, 
stands  the  Cathedral.  This  church  belonged  to  the 
Jesuits,  before  their  suppression  by  the  Portuguese 
Minister  Pombal,  toward  the  close  of  the  eighteenth 
century.  It  is  built  in  the  style  of  the  Jesuit  Renais- 
sance, and  a  statue  of  St.  Ignatius  on  the  fagade  still 
shows  its  origin.  The  large  building  adjoining  it,  now 
the  school  of  the  faculty  of  medicine,  was  evidently 
their  college.  Outside  of  the  building,  a  memorial 
tablet  keeps  fresh  the  memory  of  the  Jesuit,  Father 
Antonio  Vieira,  one  of  the  classic  writers  of  Brazil 
whose  centenary  was  celebrated  two  years  ago.  Born 
in  1608,  Father  Vieira  came  to  Brazil  in  1641  in  the 
suite  of  Don  Fernando  de  Mascarenhas.     He  was  an 


44  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

extraordinary  man,  says  Southey,  not  only  by  his 
eloquence,  but  in  all  things.^ 

The  interior  of  the  cathedral  is  gorgeous.  Like  most 
Brazilian  churches,  it  has  two  pulpits,  opposite  each 
other. 

The  monastery  of  the  Franciscans  in  Bahia  is  espec- 
ially noteworthy  for  its  artistic  work  on  Dutch  tiles.- 

I  am  told,  that  Protestantism  which,  a  few  years 
ago,  was  unknown  in  Bahia,  is,  at  present,  very  active. 
Protestant  propaganda  is  carried  on  by  sermons  on 
Sundays  and  Thursdays,  and  by  the  distribution  of 
literature.  Proselytes  are  won  particularly  among  the 
lower  white  classes. 

The  Brazilian  people,  as  a  body,  are  surely  attached 
to  the  old  church,  at  least  in  form,  but  there  is  no  doubt 
that  there,  as  elsewhere,  a  spirit  of  rationalism  prevails 
among  certain  classes. 

On  the  occasion  of  my  visit,  the  question  of  per- 
mitting cremation  was  agitated.  As  in  the  tropics 
generally,  funerals  take  place  on  the  day  of  death.  In 
some  cases,  they  are  conducted  with  great  pomp.  Ee- 
ligious  services  are  generally  held,  and,  as  with  us, 
offerings  of  flowers  are  made. 

It  is  quite  strange  that,  while  in  Spanish  America, 
universities  existed  everywhere,  from  Mexico  to  Chile 
and  the  La  Plata  countries,  Brazil  has  never  had  a 
university  up  to  the  present.  However,  separate  facul- 
ties, such  as  that  of  medicine,  exist,  the  one  in  Bahia 
being  quite  well  known. 

As  we  wandered  through  the  streets  of  the  old  city, 
darkness  fell   upon   us   with   tropical   swiftness.     We 


1  Compendio  de  Historia  do  Brazil.     Raphael  M.  Galanti,  S. 
J.,  Vol.  II,  No.  304. 

2  See  The  New  Brazil  by  Marie  Robinson  Wright. 


Arrival  in  Brazil  45 

descended  to  the  lower  town  which  was  fast  becoming 
deserted,  it  being  entirely  devoted  to  business.  Our  boat 
was  waiting  for  us,  and  we  shoved  off  from  the  wharf 
with  myriads  of  celestial  lights  sparkling  above  us  in 
the  tropical  sky.  As  the  light  of  the  city  fell  back  into 
the  darkness  of  the  night,  the  hull  of  our  good  ship  with 
its  welcoming  lights  grew  more  distinct.  With  the  old 
song  "Home  again,  home  again,  from  a  foreign  shore," 
we  drew  nearer.  The  curly  head  of  a  little  boy,  a 
great  favorite  on  board,  appeared  at  one  of  the  port 
holes,  and  our  fellow  passengers  who  had  remained  on 
the  ship,  welcomed  us  on  board.  Within  a  couple  of 
hours  we  had  weighed  anchor,  and  the  Verdi,  trembling 
m  her  whole  frame,  responded  to  her  engines,  and 
headed  further  to  the  south. 


Chapter  IV. 

EIO  DE  JANEIEO. 

Early  Rising  —  Splendid  Sky  —  The  Moon,  Venus,  and  the 
Comet — Wonderful  Harbor — Our  Flag — ^A  Bit  of  History — 
Government  of  Brazil — Rio  de  Janeiro — Churches — Great 
Improvement  in  Religion — S.  Bento — Breakfast  at  the  Ab- 
bey— The  "Jomal  do  Bresil" — The  Monroe  Palace — In- 
fluence of  Mr.  Root — Buildings — Prices  in  Rio — Petropolis. 

Morning  found  us  smoothly  steaming  off  the  Brazil- 
ian coast,  and  the  fourth  of  May  was  spent  in  the 
pleasant  anticipation  of  soon  beholding  what  is  known 
as  one  of  the  most  beautiful,  if  not  the  most  beautiful, 
harbor  in  the  world.  I  utilized  my  time  in  conversa- 
tion with  a  Brazilian  gentleman  who  had  come  on 
board  at  Bahia,  and  whom  I  found  to  be  thoroughly 
well  informed. 

From  a  fellow  passenger  who  was  to  leave  us  at  Kio, 
I  learned  that  an  office  of  the  United  Wireless  Com- 
pany was  to  be  established  in  the  capital  of  Brazil, 
and  that  their  apparatus  was  to  be  installed  on  all  the 
ships  of  the  Lloyd  Brazileiro  line.  Further,  stations 
were  to  be  established  at  Buenos  Aires,  Rio,  Bahia, 
Pernambuco,  Ceara,  Para  and  Barbados,  whereby  a 
continuous  chain  would  be  formed  to  obtain  communi- 
cations from  ships,  and,  thus  promote  their  safety. 
The  Brazilians  are  now  in  possession  of  several  wire- 
less stations. 

46 


Rio  de  Janeiro  47 

At  nightfall  of  Thursday,  May  5,  we  were  still  steam- 
ing on ;  but  a  few  hours  later  found  us  off  the  harbor  of 
Eio  de  Janeiro,  which,  however,  we  made  no  attempt 
to  enter,  until  after  sunrise.  Rio  is  749  miles  from 
Bahia. 

I  arose  at  four.  The  sky  was  magnificent,  with  the 
moon,  Venus,  and  the  comet  forming  such  a  splendid 
combination,  as  will  never  be  seen  again,  by  the  present 
generation  at  least.  As  the  light  came  creeping  on, 
and  the  comet's  tail  seemed  to  fade  into  nothingness, 
a  fog  arose  which  was  to  mar  our  enjoyment  of  the 
entrance  into  the  harbor  of  Rio  de  Janeiro. 

It  was  January  1,  1502,  that  a  Portuguese  fleet  first 
entered  this  bay,  called  by  the  natives  Guanabara  or 
Nictheroy,  and  to  which,  imagining  it  to  be  the  mouth 
of  a  river,  they  gave  the  name  of  Rio  de  Janeiro,  or 
River  of  January.^  We  may  well  imagine  the  delight 
of  those  early  Portuguese,  when  in  Midsummer  of  1502, 
perhaps  on  a  sunlit  day  in  January,  they  entered  a 
harbor  which  by  its  name  was  to  perpetuate  forever 
the  memory  of  its  discovery.  It  was  a  precious  New 
Year's  gift  to  the  mother  country. 

Even  today,  in  spite  of  the  fog,  the  beauties  of  this 
wonderful  harbor  impress  themselves  upon  us,  though 
the  memories  of  other  lands  and  other  ports  may  strug- 
gle in  our  fancy  for  the  palm.  One  by  one,  the  details 
of  the  long  entrance  to  the  harbor  are  unfolded  to  our 
wondering  gaze,  we  know  not  upon  which  side  of 
the  vessel  to  fix  our  attention,  we  pass  from  one  to  the 
other.  Then,  lo !  the  great  characteristic  feature  of  the 
Bay  of  Rio  looms  up,  the  sugar  loaf  mountain.  The 
harbor  proper  becomes  more  and  more  visible  through 
the    fog,    and    we    discern    the    shipping,    passenger 


1  Galanti.     Historia  do  Brazil,  Vol.  1,  43. 


4^  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

steamers  of  various  European  lines,  merchant  vessels, 
and  men-o'-war.  Far  out  toward  the  land,  several 
Brazilian  gunboats  lie  at  anchor,  then  we  notice  the 
Don  Carlos,  the  Portuguese  warship  which  is  stopping 
at  Rio  en  route  to  Buenos  Aires,  and  nearer  to  us, 
becoming  more  distinct  as  we  advance,  the  new  battle- 
ship, the  Minas  Geraes,  recently  built  for  Brazil,  truly 
a  beautiful  vessel.  The  Brazilian  navy  consists  of  31 
vessels,  among  which  are  three  battleships.- 

And  what  is  that  grey-colored  ship  not  far  from  the 
Minas  Geraes?  There  is  no  mistaking  the  fact,  we 
know  her  at  once,  she  flies  the  stars  and  stripes.  Cheers 
arise  from  our  deck,  as  we  pass  the  South  Dakota.  It 
is  like  catching  a  glimpse  of  home.  Yet  our  hearts 
are  not  free  from  sadness,  as  we  view  this  solitary 
American  flag.  We  shall  see  it  again,  but  always  in  its 
loneliness  and,  excepting  a  little  cable  steamer  in  Cal- 
lao,  only  waving  from  warships.  What  has  become  of 
the  flag,  that  once  carried  our  trade  to  every  port? 
All  around  us  we  shall  see  the  British,  German,  French, 
Italian  and  Dutch  flags,  but  for  our  own,  the  flag  of 
our  country,  we  shall  look  in  vain  upon  the  seas.  The 
South  Dakota  will  send  her  boat  to  the  Verdi  for  mail, 
as  soon  as  we  anchor,  then  she  wdll  speed  southward 
to  Bahia  Blanca,  in  Argentina,  to  add  her  share  to  the 
Argentine  festivities  of  the  centennial  year. 

With  this  passing  memory  of  our  far  away  land,  and 
with  these  reflections,  we  once  more  turn  our  attention 
to  the  shore.  Again  the  police  regulations  are  com- 
plied with,  the  doctor's  visit  is  completed,  and  the  cus- 
tom house  authorities  come  on  board,  to  stand  guard, 
lest  contraband  articles  are  shipped  ashore.     We  have 


2  Bulletin.     International  Bu  reau    of    American    Republics, 
July,  1910. 


Rio  de  Jmieiro  49 

cast  anchor,  for,  though  Kio  is  building  splendid  docks, 
which  will  enable  vessels  to  discharge  their  cargo 
directly  to  the  land,  they  are  not  yet  completed,  and 
ships  must  still  anchor  far  out  from  the  shore.  The 
arrangements  for  landing,  and  the  fees  are  the  same 
as  at  Bahia,  but  at  Rio  we  have  the  advantage  of  the 
launch  of  the  Lamport  and  Holt  company  which  runs 
at  intervals  from  ship  to  shore,  and  takes  the  passengers 
free  of  charge.  Find  out  the  hours,  when  the  launch 
leaves  the  shore,  and  you  may  go  on  land  without 
anxiety.  Availing  ourselves  of  the  launch,  we  left  the 
good  ship  Verdi  for  a  few  hours.  The  city  of  S.  Sebas- 
tiao  do  Rio  de  Janeiro  grew  larger  and  larger,  in  that 
brilliant  morning  sun  of  the  tropics,  with  the  dome 
of  the  Candelaria  church  almost  directly  in  front  of  us, 
and  the  fortress-like  Benedictine  abbey  of  S.  Bento  on 
an  eminence  to  our  right.  In  a  short  while,  we  found 
ourselves  on  Brazilian  soil. 

As  we  are  now  in  the  capital  of  Brazil,  it  must  prove 
useful  and  agreeable  to  us  to  form  some  acquaintance 
with  the  history,  and  the  present  conditions  of  the 
country.  To  these  I  devote  a  passing  word,  before 
proceeding  in  our  study  of  the  first  city  of  the  land. 

A  very  few  years  had  passed,  after  the  discovery  of 
America  by  Columbus,  when  Europeans  first  beheld  the 
coast  of  Brazil.  In  the  meantime.  King  John  II  of 
Portugal,  believing,  as  others  did,  that  the  lands  found 
by  the  Spaniards  formed  a  part  of  India,  began  to 
make  war-like  preparations,  as  he  considered  his  rights 
invaded.  The  difficulty  was  smoothed  over  by  the 
famous  bull  of  Pope  Alexander  VI  which  drew  a  line 
of  demarcation  from  pole  to  pole,  giving  to  Spain  all 
territory  west,  and  to  Portugal  that  which  lay  to  east 
of  it.    This  bull  was  dated  in  1493,  the  year  after  the 


50  Lands  of  the  Southern  Gross 

discovery  of  America.  Seven  years  later,  on  April  22, 
1500,  Cabral  sailing  at  the  head  of  a  Portuguese  fleet, 
sent  out  by  King  Manuel  of  Portugal  to  India,  sighted 
Brazil  to  which  he  gave  the  name  of  Vera  Cruz,  later 
changed  to  Santa  Cruz.  On  the  twenty-fourth,  they 
entered  a  harbor  which  they  named  Porto  Seguro.  The 
following  year,  another  expedition  sailed  along  the 
coast,  and  discovered  the  harbor  to  which  the  name  of 
Kio  de  Janeiro  was  given.  From  this  period  on,  the 
colonization  of  Brazil,  as  it  came  to  be  called,  proceeded 
slowly,  until,  in  1549,  a  central  government  was 
appointed  for  the  whole  country.  Three  years  later, 
the  first  Bishop  was  named  at  S.  Salvador,  in  the  person 
of  Pedro  Fernandes  Sardinha.  Toward  the  end  of  the 
sixteenth  century,  the  country  passed  under  the  domin- 
ion of  Spain,  and  went  through  a  number  of  vicissi- 
tudes, owing  to  the  wars  with  the  Dutch  and  the 
English.  In  1640  it  returned  to  Portugal,  and,  in  1650, 
the  Dutch  who  had  occupied  a  portion  of  the  coast,  were 
driven  out.  Even  to  this  day,  evidences  of  this  Dutch 
occupation  are  still  visible  in  Pernambuco  and  Bahia. 
The  bay  of  Eio  de  Janeiro  had,  at  first,  been  settled 
by  the  French,  but  these  were  driven  out  in  1567.  The 
progress  of  Eio  de  Janeiro  was  slow,  until,  in  1763,  it 
became  the  seat  of  the  viceroy  who  governed  the  colon}' 
for  the  King  of  Portugal.  During  the  Napoleonic 
wars,  the  royal  family  of  Portugal  removed  to  Brazil, 
thus  making  Kio  de  Janeiro  a  royal  residence,  and 
adding  to  its  importance  and  splendor,  until,  in  1821, 
the  sovereign  returned  to  Portugal.  Brazil  that  had 
tasted  the  sweets  of  independence  and  sovereignty, 
refused  to  be  reduced  once  more  to  the  condition  of  a 
colony,  and  declaring  itself  an  empire,  placed  Don 
Pedro  de  Braganza,  eldest  son  of  the  King  of  Portugal 


I 


Eio  de  Janeiro  51 

on  the  throne,  as  Pedro  I.  In  1831,  Pedro  I  abdicated 
in  favor  of  his  son  Don  Pedro  II  whose  reign  continued 
until  1889,  when  a  peaceful  revolution  put  an  end  to  it, 
and  established  a  republic  which  still  endures. 

Brazil  is  a  federal  republic,  modeled,  more  or  less, 
on  that  of  the  United  States,  the  separate  states  having 
their  autonomy,  and  the  whole  being  governed  by  a 
President  and  Federal  Congress  at  Rio  de  Janeiro. 
After  a  few  intestine  struggles,  the  country  appears  to 
be  moving  rapidly  on  the  road  to  prosperity  with  a 
population  of  between  seventeen  and  twenty-two  mil- 
lions.^ 

Rio  de  Janeiro,  the  population  of  which  amounts  to 
about  800,000,  is  fast  becoming  a  modern  city,  while 
its  old  and  picturesque  features  disappear.  The  efforts 
of  the  Brazilians  have  been  rewarded  by  the  fact  that 
Rio  is  now  a  healthy  city  and  that  yellow  fever,  the 
scourge  of  the  tropics,  has  been  banished  from  it. 

Built  in  a  semi-circle,  at  the  head  of  the  bay,  it  is 
not  unlike  Naples  in  appearance.  The  beautiful  drive 
along  the  shore,  the  Beira-mar,  may  well  be  regarded 
as  one  of  the  finest  in  the  world.  The  old,  character- 
istic street,  the  Rua  do  Ouvidor  is  still  there,  but,  most 
likely,  it  will  not  be  long,  before  it  will  be  entirely 
modernized.  On  the  other  hand,  the  modern  Avenida 
Central  is  one  of  the  finest  in  America. 

The  churches  of  the  colonial  epoch  are  built  in  the 
style  of  the  Renaissance  with  a  profusion  of  gold  decor- 
ations. The  most  important  of  these,  by  its  general 
appearance,  and  the  magnificence  of  its  decorations,  is 
that  of  Nossa  Senhora  da  Candelaria,  built  of  marble, 
and  founded  in  1630.  Its  dome  must  invariably 
attract  the  attention  of  the  stranger  who  approaches 


3  Bulletin  Comm^moratif  de  1  'Exposition  Nationale  de  1908. 


52  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

the  shore  from  the  harbor.  The  Candelaria  belongs  to 
one  of  the  Irmandades,  or  brotherhoods  of  the  city, 
associations  of  laymen  that  own  ecclesiastical  property, 
and  serve  as  a  link  to  bind  men  to  the  church,  though 
their  independence  sometimes  creates  difficulties.  The 
Candelaria  is,  also,  a  parish  church. 

Next  in  importance  to  the  visitor  is  the  cathedral 
which,  in  the  days  of  the  empire,  served  as  a  chapel  to 
the  imperial  family.  It  is  comparatively  small,  and 
hardly  in  keeping  with  the  dignity  of  a  see  like  Kio 
de  Janeiro  whose  present  bishop.  His  Eminence,  Cardi- 
nal Alcoverde  de  Albuquerque  Cavalcanti,  is  one  of 
the  two  American  archbishops  occupying  a  seat  in  the 
Sacred  College. 

Among  modern  churches,  that  of  St.  Alphonsus, 
belonging  to  the  Kedemptorist  Fathers,  and  built  in 
the  Komanesque  style,  deserves  attention.  The  Kedemp- 
torists  are  among  the  many  foreign  priests  now  active 
in  Brazil.  They  are  scattered  over  South  America, 
and  deservedly  rank  among  the  most  efficient  and 
zealous  of  the  South  American  clergy. 

In  the  days  of  the  empire,  the  church,  united  to  the 
state,  had  fallen  into  a  condition  of  decrepitude,  and 
the  morals  of  the  clergy,  secular  and  regular,  were 
greatly  relaxed ;  but  in  the  last  twenty  years  a  wonder- 
ful reformation  has  taken  place.  The  efforts  of  the 
late  Pope,  Leo  XIII,  and  of  Cardinal  Gotti,  who,  as 
Nuncio  to  Brazil,  began  the  reformation,  as  well  as  of 
Monsignor  Guidi,  have  been  crowned  with  success. 
Formerly  there  were  few  dioceses,  while,  at  present, 
their  number  has  been  greatly  increased  to  the  immense 
advantage  of  the  Brazilian  church.  The  archbishop 
of  Bahia  is  primate  of  Brazil. 

As  you  ascend  toward  the  Avenida  Central  from  the 
landing  place,  you  will  observe  a  group  of  edifices  with 


CATHEDRAL^  RIO  DB  JANEIRO 


Rio  de  Janeiro  53 

a  large  church  on  an  eminence  to  your  right.  It  can- 
not fail  to  draw  your  attention.  It  was  to  this  church 
that  I  first  proceeded.  Ascending  a  lofty  flight  of 
steps,  I  found  myself  in  an  open  space  before  the 
church,  where  a  number  of  boys  in  uniform  were  drill- 
ing. Entering  the  sacred  edifice,  I  at  once  recognized 
the  style  of  the  seventeenth  century.  I  was  not  mis- 
taken, for,  before  the  altar,  I  found  the  tomb  of  the 
foundress.  Dona  Victoria  de  Sa,  who  died  August  26, 
1667.  X  was  in  the  church  of  the  old  Benedictine  Abbey 
of  S.  Bento. 

In  a  magnificent  courtyard,  resplendent  with  the 
light  of  a  tropical  day,  and  surrounded  by  shady  clois- 
ters, I  seemed  to  be  in  some  far  off  monastery  of  the 
Orient.  Massive  doors,  immense  staircases,  marble 
floors,  beautiful  ceilings  with  wood  carving,  a  large 
choir  behind  the  church,  a  long  and  silent  refectory, 
all  recalls  days  of  monastic  splendor.  But  the  abbey 
had  fallen  into  dtecay.  Deplorable  rtelaxation  had 
crept  into  the  monastic  orders  of  Brazil,  the  govern- 
ment of  Don  Pedro  had  forbidden  them  to  receive 
novices,  and  the  orders  were  dying  out.  The  abbey  of 
S.  Bento  was  reduced  to  one  member,  the  abbot,  who 
possessed  its  great  wealth.  But  all  that  has  been 
changed.  With  the  general  reformation  of  ecclesias- 
tics, the  old  abbey  began  to  revive.  Benedictine  monks 
were  brought  from  the  congregation  of  Beuron  in  Ger- 
many, and,  today,  the  abbey  is  again  peopled  with  a 
community  of  zealous  monks  who  conduct  a  flourishing 
college,  one  of  the  best  in  Brazil.  The  Benedictines 
and  the  Jesuits  are  among  the  first  educators  of  the 
country.  In  this,  and  in  other  military  colleges,  offi- 
cers of  the  army  are  detailed  to  drill  the  boys,  and 
sixty  days  of  each  year,  for  three  years,  spent  in  exer- 
cises, take  the  place  of  military  service. 


54  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

My  first  guide  in  Eio  Janeiro  was  a  Flemish  Prae- 
monstratensian  Father,  the  Eev.  Jos6  Carlos  Boelaerts, 
of  Minas  Geraes,  who  happened  to  be  in  the  city. 

I  must  acknowledge  the  kindness  of  the  good  Bene- 
dictine Fathers  at  whose  hospitable  board  I  had  the 
pleasure  of  becoming  acquainted  with  the  Papal  Nun- 
cio, Monsignor  Bavona,  who  is  dean  of  the  diplomatic 
corps. 

In  the  afternoon  of  the  never-to-be-forgotten  day, 
spent  in  the  capital  of  Brazil,  Dom  Miguel  Kruse,  the 
Benedictine  abbot  of  S.  Paulo,  devoted  himself  entirely 
to  my  service.  How  could  I  forget  that  tropical  day, 
tempered  by  the  approaching  cool  season  of  the  south- 
ern hemisphere!  It  is  a  delightful  memory,  to  look 
out  of  my  window  over  the  harbor,  and  see  ferry  boats 
reminding  one  of  New  York  plying  to  and  fro,  to  hear 
again  the  cannon  of  the  Don  Carlos,  as  she  fires  her 
parting  salute  before  leaving  for  Buenos  Aires,  and  to 
gaze  upon  the  Brazilian  gunboats,  swinging  lazily  at 
anchor.  I  still  see  upon  a  distant  hill  the  military 
hospital  which,  long  ago,  was  a  Jesuit  college,  before 
the  suppression  of  the  order. 

Go  with  me  to  breakfast  with  the  good  monks,  and, 
after  a  brief  walk  in  the  cloister,  we  shall  proceed  to 
view  some  points  of  interest  in  the  city.  It  is  about 
eleven  o'clock.  In  all  South  American  countries,  as 
in  Latin  Europe,  nothing  is  taken  until  then,  but  a 
cup  of  coffee  and  a  little  bread  with  butter.  From 
eleven  to  one  is  the  hour  for  breakfast,  when  a  copious 
meal,  consisting,  with  some  variations,  of  soup,  several 
portions  of  meat  and  a  desert  is  enjoyed.  In  the  Bene- 
dictine abbey,  all  is  silent  during  the  meal,  and  one  of 
the  monks  reads  from  some  useful  work,  in  the  soft 
language    of    Portugal    and    Brazil.     It   is    generally 


MONROE  PALACE,  RIO  DE  JANEIRO 


Rio  de  Janeiro  66 

known,  that  Friday,  according  to  the  rules  of  the 
Catholic  church,  is  a  day  of  abstinence,  on  which  flesh 
meat  is  forbidden;  yet,  though  today  is  Friday,  we,  at 
least  the  guests,  are  eating  meat  in  this  Benedictine 
refectory.  The  Holy  See  has  granted  a  general  dispen- 
sation in  this  regard  to  the  whole  of  Latin  America, 
excepting  some  few  days  of  the  year,  upon  which  absti- 
nence must  be  observed. 

We  have  enjoyed  our  Benedictine  breakfast  and  now, 
though  it  is  in  the  heat  of  the  day,  we  shall  begin  our 
excursions;  but  we  shall  take  an  automobile,  for  these 
machines  in  Kio  de  Janeiro  and  Buenos  Aires  are  as 
common  as  in  the  United  States.  Flying  along  the 
beautiful  Avenida  Central,  we  pay  our  first  visit  to  the 
new  building  of  the  Jornal  do  Brazil.  There  are  two 
very  prominent  newspapers  in  Kio,  the  buildings  ot 
which  are  opposite  each  other,  as  the  papers  are 
opposed  to  each  other  in  policy.  They  are  the  Jornal 
do  Commercio  and  the  Jornal  do  Brasil.  The  latter 
has  erected  a  fine  building,  one  of  the  highest  in  the 
city,  consisting  of  ten  stories,  with  a  splendid  view  of 
the  city  from  the  summit.  The  machinery  in  this 
building  is  run  entirely  by  electricity. 

As  we  speed  along,  we  shall  be  struck  by  the  cleanly- 
appearance  of  the  new  streets,  so  different  from  what 
older  works  on  Brazil  may  have  led  us  to  anticipate 
There  are  asphalt  pavements  which,  unlike  those  of 
Washington,  do  not  soften  under  the  influence  of  heat. 

Perhaps  we  shall  meet,  here  and  there,  with  an 
automobile  ambulance  of  the  "Assistencia  publica,*' 
the  service  of  which,  I  understand,  is  excellent.  This 
affords  me  an  opportunity  to  mention  the  "Misericor- 
dia''  hospital,  one  of  the  largest  in  existence. 

As  we  drive  along  the  Avenida  Beira-mar,  we  shall 
pass  the  Monroe  Palace  which,  built  for  the  St.  Louis 


56  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

Exposition,  was  removed  to  Rio,  named  to  honor  the 
Monroe  Doctrine,  and  inaugurated  on  the  occasion  of 
Mr.  Root^s  visit.  It  is  built  in  the  classic  style  of  the 
Renaissance. 

No  American  of  late  has  exercised  such  a  marked 
influence  in  South  America  as  Mr.  Root.  His  name 
seems  to  be  in  benediction.  This  is  especially  true  of 
Brazil,  where  American  capital  began  to  increase 
remarkably,  a  short  time  after  he  had  been  in  the 
country,  and  where  American  influence  is,  perhaps, 
stronger  than  elsewhere  in  South  America,  with  the 
possible  exception  of  Peru.  The  electric  cars,  as  well 
as  the  electric  and  gas  lighting  are  flnanced  and  man- 
aged by  American  and  Canadian  capitalists. 

From  the  Avenida  Beira-mar,  if  your  time  permits, 
you  may  visit  a  number  of  other  interesting  sites,  such 
as  the  garden  of  the  Praca  Tiradentes,  with  the  statue 
of  Don  Pedro  I  in  the  centre.  A  number  of  other 
statues  and  monuments  elsewhere  add  to  the  beauty 
of  the  city,  such  as  the  statue  of  the  Viscount  de  Rio 
Branco  in  the  public  garden,  known  as  the  "Gloria," 
while  Rio  de  Janeiro  may  boast  of  a  considerable 
number  of  parks  and  public  gardens.  The  botanical 
garden  is  open  several  days  of  the  week,  while,  for 
admittance  to  the  zoological  garden  a  small  fee  of  500 
reis,  or  a  little  more  than  flfteen  cents  is  charged. 
Among  the  public  buildings,  those  of  the  senate  and  of 
the  chamber  of  deputies  will  draw  your  attention,  for 
their  importance  in  the  economy  of  government,  rather 
than  for  architectural  beauty.  To  these  may  be  added 
the  buildings  of  the  various  secretaries  of  the  cabinet, 
such  as  of  foreign  relations,  of  "Fazenda,"  or  the  Treas- 
ury, of  industry,  of  agriculture,  of  the  interior  and 
justice,  of  the  navy  and  of  war,  as  well  as  the  general 
postoffice,   and   the   supreme   court.     The   government 


Rio  de  Janeiro  67 

building  is  a  square  edifice,  with  two  stories  above  the 
ground  floor,  constructed  in  elegant  classic  style,  with 
five  statues  above  the  facade. 

A  visit  to  the  National  School  of  Fine  Arts  will  give 
you  an  idea  of  the  work  of  Brazilian  sculptors  and 
painters,  and  the  beautiful  new  library,  the  best  in 
South  America,  is  worth  inspection. 

The  municipal  theatre  in  the  Avenida  Central  is  a 
beautiful  Renaissance  building,  worthy  of  any  modern 
city. 

Among  the  stores,  the  Casa  Colombo  in  the  Avenida 
Central  will  surely  draw  your  attention,  if  you  go 
shopping.  It  is  seven  or  eight  stories  high,  occupying 
an  area  of  5,600  square  metres,  or  somewhat  more  than 
18,000  feet. 

Brazil  has  the  reputation  of  being  one  of  the  dearest 
countries  in  the  world.  By  giving  a  few  prices  as  they 
exist  in  Rio,  I  will  let  the  reader  judge  for  himself. 
Room  and  board  at  a  first-class  hotel  will  cost  from  ten 
to  sixteen  milreis,  or  from  three  to  five  dollars  a  day. 
In  a  boarding  house  you  will  have  to  pay  from  $31  to 
168  a  month.  Houses  rent  from  19  to  160  dollars 
monthly,  and  a  furnished  house  or  flat  can  be  obtained 
for  a  sum  running  from  |31  up.  As  to  food  stuffs, 
milk  sells  for  about  12  cents  a  litre,  and  butter  from  90 
cents  to  f  1.40  per  kilogramme.  A  chicken  will  cost 
from  31  to  62  cents.  Meat  brings  from  about  12  to  28 
cents  per  kilogramme.  For  a  suit  of  clothes  made  to 
order,  you  will  have  to  pay  from  12  to  50  dollars.  A 
straw  hat  can  be  bought  for  prices  ranging  from  $1.25 
to  $3.75.*  With  some  exceptions,  are  these  prices  so 
very  different  form  those  prevailing  in  our  own  country  ? 
And  how  do  wages  compare  with  ours?  A  carpenter 
gets  from  two  to  two  and  a  half  dollars  a  day,  and  the 


*  Brazil  in  1910.     J.  C.  Oakenfull,  p.  252. 


58  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

same  pay  is  given  to  a  street-car  conductor.  A  clerk 
makes  from  30  to  60  dollars  a  month,  and  a  bookkeeper 
or  cashier  from  60  to  80  dollars  monthly,  and  so  on. 
It  will  thus  be  seen  that  the  average  wages  and  prices 
are  about  the  same  as  with  us. 

Still,  it  appears  that  certain  articles  are  much  dearer 
than  in  our  country.  For  instance,  not  only  in  Brazil, 
but  elsewhere  in  South  America,  I  have  paid  fifty  cents 
for  a  pint  of  Apollinaris  water.  Then  the  individual 
experience  of  travellers  may  account  for  the  reputation 
that  Brazil  has  acquired.  Thus  I  was  told,  that  a  cap 
which  could  be  bought  at  New  York  for  twenty-five 
cents,  was  purchased  for  |1.50  in  Brazil. 

An  interesting  excursion  from  Kio  de  Janeiro,  may 
be  made  to  the  aristocratic  Petropolis,  where  the  dip- 
lomatic corps  resides.  It  is  a  short  distance  from  the 
capital,  and  easy  of  access  by  railway.  But,  as  our 
time  is  limited,  and  we  must  reach  Buenos  Aires  in 
time  to  attend  the  opening  of  the  International  Con- 
gress of  Americanists,  the  visit  to  Petropolis  will  have 
to  be  postponed  until  a  more  favorable  occasion.  Hence 
we  go  down  to  the  wharf  to  meet  the  launch  which  will 
take  us  to  the  Verdi. 


Chapter  V. 


SANTOS  AND  S.  PAULO. 

Harbor  of  Santos — Yellow  Fever  Banished — Coffee — Miserlcor- 
dla  Hospital — Schools — Churches — Courtyard  of  Carmelite 
Monastery — Tomb  of  Bonifacio  d'  Andrada — Diogo  Feijoo- 
Proposition  to  Abolish  Celibacy — Influence  of  Rome — S. 
Paulo  Railroad — History  of  S.  Paulo — General  View  of 
S.  Paulo — An  Educational  Centre — College  of  S.  Bento — 
Mackenzie  College — Climate  of  S.  Paulo — Products  of 
Brazil. 

We  did  not  leave  Kio  de  Janeiro  until  the  morning 
of  Saturday,  May  7,  owing  to  a  delay  in  discharging 
cargo,  one  of  those  unavoidable  delays,  so  common  in 
Southern  ports.  For  this  we  were  compensated  by  the 
advantage  of  steaming  out  of  the  harbor  by  daylight, 
so  that  we  might  once  more  admire  its  beauties.  It 
was  with  a  feeling  of  regret,  that  I  turned  my  back 
upon  Rio  de  Janeiro  which  to  me  had  been  like  the 
quickly  passing  dream  of  some  fairyland. 

The  whole  of  Saturday  was  spent  at  sea.  We  reached 
the  entrance  to  the  harbor  of  Santos,  long  after  dark, 
and  cast  anchor.  About  sunrise  we  were  again  moving, 
to  proceed  up  the  long  harbor,  between  mountains, 
the  termination  of  the  range  running  westward  toward 
S.  Paulo,  known  as  the  Serra  do  Mar.  By  degrees,  the 
flats  upon  which  the  straggling  outposts  of  Santos 
stand  come  into  view ;  but,  unfortunately,  as  in  the  bay 
of  Rio  de  Janeiro,  we  had  much  fog  to  encounter.  The 
city  itself  is  built  upon  flat  ground,  beneath  a  tower- 

59 


60  Lcmds  of  the  Southern  Cross 

ing  hill,  the  summit  of  which  is  crowned  by  the  chapel 
of  Montserrat. 

Santos,  was,  at  one  time,  the  terror  of  the  mariner, 
and  the  pest  hole  of  the  Atlantic  coast.  Whole  ships' 
crews  were  swept  out  of  life  by  yellow  fever;  but, 
within  the  last  few  years,  owing  to  extraordinary 
sanitary  precautions,  it  has  become  quite  healthy,  and 
yellow  fever  has  vanished.  The  land  has  been  drained 
by  a  system  of  salt  water  canals,  and  though  the  smells 
at  the  dock  are  by  no  means  agreeable,  one  need  no 
longer  fear  to  enter  the  harbor. 

The  city  of  Santos,  with  a  population  of  about  60,000, 
is  situated  in  the  province  of  S.  Paulo.  Being  the  out 
let  for  the  principal  coffee  district,  it  is  the  largest 
coffee  port  in  the  world,  and  every  flag  is  there  seen. 
Unlike  Bahia  and  Eio,  Santos  possesses  a  fine  system 
of  docks,  along  which  ships  may  lie,  to  load,  and 
unload  by  means  of  immense  hydraulic  derricks  which 
are  moved  to  and  fro  on  wheels.  Freight  trains  steam 
up  along  the  docks,  and  the  coffee  bags  are  run  on  board 
on  the  heads  and  shoulders  of  the  laborers. 

Brazilian  coffee  is  cultivated  along  the  east  coast 
in  the  states  of  Espirito  Santo,  Minas  Geraes,  and  as 
far  north  as  Bahia,  but,  especially  in  the  state  of  S. 
Paulo. 

Those  that  land  at  Santos  may  possibly  visit  the 
hospital  "da  Misericordia,"  but  few  will  know  that  this 
institution,  probably,  gave  its  name  to  the  town.  It 
seems  to  have  been  built  in  1537,  by  Braz  Cubas,  and 
dedicated  to  the  Saints,  while  the  town  that  grew  up 
around  it  obtained  the  name  of  Porto  de  Santos,  or 
simply  Santos.^  Braz  Cubas  is  regarded  as  the  founder 
of  the  city,  and  a  statue,  erected  to  his  honor  in  the 
principal  square,  perpetuates  his  memory. 


1  Galanti.    Compendio  de  Hlstoria  do  Brazil,  Vol.  1,  126. 


Santos  and  S.  Paulo  61 

We  were  courteously  treated  by  the  authorities  of 
the  hospital  which  belongs  to  an  old  confraternity,  and 
we  had  the  opportunity  of  visiting  it  thoroughly,  in  com- 
pany of  Dr.  Warden  of  the  Verdi.  There  is  a  large 
chapel  attached  to  this  institution.  The  attendants 
and  nurses  are  laymen  and  women,  and  though,  in 
many  respects,  it  deserves  praise,  one  of  the  children's 
wards  was  greatly  lacking  in  clanliness,  while  the  flies 
were  a  pest.  There  is  certainly  much  room  for  improve- 
ment in  this  regard. 

Not  far  from  the  hospital,  lies  the  prison,  guarded 
at  the  entrance  by  soldiers.  It  may  be  visited  with  per- 
mission of  the  authorities. 

As  our  ship  lay  several  days  in  the  harbor,  I  had  the 
satisfaction  of  visiting  one  public  school  that  appeared 
rather  primitive,  and  one  Brazilian  private  elementary 
school,  of  which  the  same  may  be  said.  The  teachers, 
like  Brazilians  generally,  were  very  polite,  and  they 
afforded  us  every  opportunity  to  form  an  idea  of  the 
state  of  primary  education  in  Santos,  of  which  I  might 
have  availed  myself,  had  time  permitted. 

We  also  found  a  private  German  school  that  we  were 
allowed  to  inspect,  and  to  the  neat  appearance  of  which 
I  may  testify.  As  it  happened  to  be  Sunday  morning, 
the  children  were  absent.  German  influence  in  south- 
ern Brazil  is  very  strong,  and  all  is  done  to  keep  up  the 
old  spirit  of  the  Fatherland. 

There  are  two  churches  in  Santos,  besides  the  chapel 
of  Montserrat  on  the  hill.  The  Mother  Church,  or 
Igreja  Matriz,  is  served  by  secular  priests.  It  is  the 
church  of  the  "Rosario."  Here  we  attended  services 
on  Sunday  morning,  as  soon  as  we  landed  from  the 
ship.  To  a  Roman  Catholic,  every  church  of  the  Latin 
rite  is  familiar  the  world  over,  and  he  at  once  feels  at 


62  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

home,  whether  in  the  United  States,  or  in  Brazil.  I 
say,  of  the  Latin  rite,  because  there  are  a  number  of 
very  ancient  Oriental  rites,  such  as  the  Greek,  Maro- 
nite,  Armenian,  Chaldaean,  and  others,  the  observers 
of  which,  while  subject  to  the  spiritual  jurisdiction  of 
the  Pope,  differ  greatly  from  the  Latins  in  language, 
and  in  forms. 

There  were  many  people  in  church,  and,  to  judge  by 
their  exterior  appearance,  as  devout  as  anywhere  else 
in  the  world.  Yet,  I  have  reason  to  believe,  that  the 
practise  of  religion  in  Brazil  leaves  much  to  be  desired. 

After  Mass,  I  paid  a  visit  to  the  sacristy.  The  old 
priest  that  had  said  Mass  could  speak  neither  French, 
English,  nor  Spanish,  but  the  rather  youthful  parish 
priest  spoke  French  fluently.  He  told  me,  that  he  had 
studied  in  the  Pio-Latino  college  in  Eome. 

The  other  church  of  Santos  is  served  by  the  order 
of  Carmelites  of  the  Ancient  Observance.  It  seems  to 
have  always  belonged  to  the  Carmelite  Order;  but  the 
old  Brazilian  province  of  the  Carmelites,  undergoing 
the  same  influences  as  other  orders,  had  fallen  into  a 
state  of  decadence.  Hence  it  is  that  very  few  of  the  old 
members  survive,  and  their  places  have  been  taken  by 
Carmelites  from  Holland  who  now  have  charge  of  the 
church  at  Santos.  The  institution  dates  from  the 
seventeenth  century,  if  not  from  an  earlier  period. 

The  most  interesting  object  in  this  old,  decayed, 
monastery  is  the  small,  but  beautiful  courtyard.  In 
the  centre,  lies  buried  Bonifacio  d'Andrada,  the  patri- 
arch of  Brazilian  independence,  who  headed  the  revo- 
lution that  put  Don  Pedro  I  on  the  throne.  The  tomb 
with  its  recumbent  ef^gj,  decorated  with  the  masonic 
insignia,  creates  a  fine  effect.  Freemasonry  was,  at 
one  time,  very  powerful  in  Brazil,  and  if  rumor  is  cor- 


LOADING  COFFEE  AT  SANTOS 


Santos  and  S.  Paulo  63 

rect,  it  was  not  only  countenanced  by  some  of  the 
clergy,  but  clergymen  entered  its  ranks.  The  fact  is, 
that  Bonifacio  is  buried  in  a  monastery,  in  the  shadow 
of  a  church,  with  masonic  insignia.  During  a  portion 
of  the  imperial  regime,  it  is  quite  evident,  that  the 
influence  of  the  central  authority  at  Eome  had  waned. 
One  prominent  priest,  Diego  Feijoo,  who,  for  a  time, 
was  regent  of  the  kingdom,  after  the  abdication  of  Don 
Pedro  I,  believing  that  the  marriage  contract  was  an 
affair  of  the  state,  and  not  of  the  church,  went  so  far 
as  to  propose  the  abolition  of  ecclesiastical  celibacy 
in  Brazil ;  but  the  law  was  not  enacted  by  the  legisla- 
tive powers.  There  can  be  no  doubt,  that,  before  the 
separation  of  church  and  state,  the  influence  of  the 
government  was,  on  the  whole,  unfavorable  to  the 
church,  greatly  hampering  its  freedom  of  action.  This 
will,  to  some  extent,  explain  the  relaxation  of  morals, 
while  it  is  quite  sure,  that  the  general  reform  began 
under  the  impetus  given  by  Kome. 

As  there  is  comparatively  little  to  detain  us  in  San- 
tos, and  our  ship  lies  here  a  couple  of  days,  we  shall 
run  up  to  the  far  more  interesting  city  of  S.  Paulo. 
To  go  from  Santos  to  S.  Paulo,  you  must  take  the 
picturesque  S.  Paulo  railroad.  From  S.  Paulo,  you 
can  go  by  rail  to  Rio  de  Janeiro.  In  fact,  in  a  few 
years,  railway  travel  will  be  possible  from  Rio  to  any 
part  of  the  country,  and  to  the  neighboring  republics 
of  Uruguay,  Paraguay,  Chile  and  Bolivia.  It  has  been 
proposed  to  build  a  bridge  across  the  river  Plate,  and 
if  this  is  effected,  we  will  be  able  to  proceed  by  rail 
from  Rio  de  Janeiro  to  Buenos  Aires.^ 

The  S.  Paulo  railway,  a  marvel  of  engineering  skill, 
is  operated  by  an  English  company  under  concession 


2BrazU  in  1910.     J.   C.   Oakenfull. 


64  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

of  the  state,  to  which  it  will  revert  after  some  years  . 
It  pays  very  large  dividends.  The  cars  are  small,  but 
very  neat,  and  the  trains  carry  first  and  second-class 
passengers.  The  railway  cars  throughout  South  Amer- 
ica have  adopted  the  American,  and  not  the  old  Euro- 
pean system,  of  coupes;  in  fact  many  of  them  are 
exactly  like  our  cars  at  home. 

The  train  mounts  the  Serra  do  Mar  from  Santos  to 
Alto  da  Serra,  where  the  descent  toward  S.  Paulo 
begins.  For  a  distance  of  several  miles  it  is  pulled  up 
the  mountain  by  cable.  The  scenery  from  Santos  to 
Alto  da  Serra  baffles  description.  You  feast  your  eyes 
upon  it,  to  be  interrupted  ever  and  anon,  as  you  plunge 
into  a  dark  tunnel.  Then  you  cross  long  bridges  over 
dizzy  ravines.  Looking  out  of  the  window,  your  vision 
plunges  into  the  depths,  frequently  obstructed  by  dense 
clouds  that  float  in  space  far  below  you.  A  wealth  of 
tropical  vegetation  surrounds  you,  rising  with  the 
mountains  above,  or  sinking  with  the  valleys  beneath. 
Several  times  the  train  halts  on  its  way,  and  you  have 
an  opportunity  to  admire  the  beautiful  stations  that 
the  company  has  built.  We  left  Santos  at  4.30  p.  m., 
and,  about  half  past  six,  we  were  at  S.  Paulo.  During 
the  latter  part  of  the  journey  we  were  surrounded  by 
darkness,  for  in  that  southern  latitude,  the  days  were 
growing  shorter. 

The  railway  station  at  S.  Paulo  is  spacious  and 
beautiful,  comparing  well  with  the  prominent  depots  of 
our  country,  and  surpassing  a  very  large  number  of 
them.  It  is  teeming  with  life  and  activity,  and  there 
is  abundant  evidence  of  a  very  active  traffic. 

As  the  hour  is  advanced,  we  take  a  carriage,  and 
drive  to  the  monastery  of  S.  Bento,  where  our  friend 
the  abbot,  who  had  preceded  us  by  rail  from  Eio,  will 


Santos  and  S.  Paulo  '  65 

extend  to  us  a  hearty  welcome.  After  supper,  and  a 
short  conversation,  we  retire  to  our  comfortable  apart- 
ments, and  will  employ  our  leisure  moments  with  some 
general  reflections  on  S.  Paulo. 

The  early  history  of  this  city  is  intimately  bound 
up  with  that  of  the  Jesuits  in  Brazil.  These  Fathers 
had,  for  some  time,  been  active  in  the  country,  when, 
in  1554,  the  celebrated  Father  de  Nobrega  founded  a 
college  on  the  plains  of  Piratinanga.  The  first  Mass 
was  celebrated  in  it  on  the  festival  of  the  Conversion 
of  S.  Paul  in  the  same  year.  From  this  circumstance 
the  college  took  the  name  of  St.  Paul,  and  the  city  that 
grew  up  around  it  is  the  present  S.  Paulo.^  Father 
Jos6  de  Anchieta,  so  well  known  in  the  history  of  the 
Society,  was  one  of  the  first  professors  in  the  college. 
To  the  seventeenth  century  belong  the  famous  perse- 
cution and  expulsion  of  the  Jesuits  by  the  Paulistas, 
into  an  account  of  which  the  nature  and  the  limits  of 
this  book  do  not  permit  us  to  enter.  The  history  ol 
this  time  may  be  read  in  that  of  the  Society,  or  in  that 
of  Brazil.  Those  that  understand  Portuguese  will  find 
it  treated  by  the  Jesuit  author  Galanti  in  the  second 
volume  of  his  Compendio  de  Historia  do  Brazil. 

Since  the  days  when  S.  Paulo  beheld  the  light  in  the 
vicinity  of  the  Jesuit  college,  it  has  grown  to  be  one  of 
the  first  and  finest  cities  of  Brazil,  with  a  population 
of  300,000.  Beautifully  situated  upon  an  undulating 
plain,  it  is  made  up  of  elevations  and  depressions.  The 
houses  are  generally  low,  a  very  large  proportion  being 
only  of  one  story,  and  very  few  containing  more  than 
two.  Many  of  the  streets,  by  the  appearance  of  the 
houpes,  cause  us  to  imagine  what  the  old  cities  of  Italy 
and  Greece  must  have  been   like.    Even   in  the  fine 


«  Galanti.     Hist,  do  Brazil.  I  ,  176. 


66  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

residential  suburbs,  along  the  Avenida,  this  lowness 
of  the  houses  does  not  fail  to  impress  the  stranger. 

S.  Paulo  is  the  educational  centre  of  Brazil.  At- 
tached to  the  old  monastery  of  S.  Ben  to,  the  Benedic- 
tines conduct  a  flourishing  college  which  may  well  hold 
up  its  head  among  the  colleges  of  the  world.  The  best 
families  send  their  children  to  it.  The  professors  are 
Benedictine  monks,  secular  ecclesiastics,  and  laymen. 
One  of  the  seculars.  Father  Caton,  is  an  American. 
The  cabinet  of  physics  and  natural  sciences  is  a  credit 
to  the  institution.  Besides  the  gymnasium,  or  college 
proper,  there  is,  also,  a  faculty  of  philosophy  and  letters 
in  which  the  higher  studies  are  persued,  on  the  plan  of 
a  university. 

This  old  abbey  has,  also,  been  raised  up  from  its 
former  degraded  condition  by  the  present  Benedictine 
monks,  and  it  is  prospering  wonderfully  under  the  care 
of  the  abbot,  Dom  Miguel  Kruse.  The  last  abbot  of  the 
old  regime  lies  buried  in  the  cloister. 

The  provincial  seminary  of  the  diocese  contained 
only  about  thirty  students,  for  vocations  to  the  Priest- 
hood in  Brazil,  especially  among  the  better  classes,  are 
few,  though  the  bishops  appear  to  be  making  great 
efforts  to  raise  the  standard  of  the  clergy.  The  Spanish 
Fathers  of  the  Immaculate  Heart  of  Mary,  a  congrega 
tion  founded  by  the  saintly  Clavel,  Archbishop  of  San- 
tiago de  Cuba,  conduct  a  house  to  which  priests  ma> 
repair,  to  make  a  retreat,  and  perform  the  spiritual 
exercises. 

The  Salesian  Fathers,  founded  in  Italy  by  the  cele- 
brated Don  Bosco,  are  to  be  found  all  over  South 
America.  Their  work  is  principally  for  poor  boys,  and 
as  such  a  vocation  meets  a  universal  requirement,  they 
will  continue  to  succeed,  as  long  as  they  adhere  to  it. 
They  possess  a  splendid  industrial  college  in  S.  Paulo. 


Santos  and  S.  Paulo  67 

Among  the  schools  for  young  ladies,  that  of  the 
Ladies  of  Sion  deserves  especial  mention. 

Another  well-known  educational  institution  in  S. 
Paulo  is  the  Mackenzie,  also  called  the  American, 
college.  It  was  founded  in  1870,  by  Kev.  George  W. 
Chamberlain,  as  an  adjunct  to  the  Presbyterian  mis- 
sion, later  becoming  independent  under  a  charter  from 
the  state  of  New  York,  and  endowed  by  funds  given  in 
memory  of  John  T.  Mackenzie  of  that  city.*  I  was 
informed,  that  in  this  and  other  colleges  in  charge  of 
Protestants,  religion  is  no  longer  taught,  owing  to  the 
objection  of  the  Brazilian  parents.  Though  instruc- 
tion is  chiefly  given  in  Portuguese,  the  college  is  con- 
ducted on  American  models.  Dr.  Horace  Lane  is  in 
charge. 

As  our  time  is  limited,  and  we  must  return  to  Santos, 
having  only  one  day,  Monday,  to  spend  in  S.  Paulo,  we 
bid  farewell  to  our  Benedictine  hosts.  The  abbot  will 
drive  me  to  the  station,  but  I  might,  also,  have  taken 
an  electric  car,  for  the  trolley  system  in  S.  Paulo  is» 
perfect.  As  in  Kio  de  Janeiro,  the  cars  are  operated 
by  Canadian  and  American  capital,  but  the  system  is 
entirely  American. 

Before  leaving  S.  Paulo,  I  should  mention  something 
of  its  climate.  Although  outside  of  the  tropics,  the 
vegetation  here  is  quite  tropical,  but  the  heat  is  moder- 
ated by  the  altitude  of  2,000  feet,  so  that  the  climate  ts 
very  agreeable.  In  the  Fall  of  the  year,  in  Spring,  and 
of  course,  in  Winter,  the  mornings  and  evenings  may  be 
quite  cool,  and  the  nights  even  cold,  though  there  is 
never  frost. 

At  the  station,  I  found  some  passengers  of  the  Verdi, 
and  together  we  returned  to  Santos.  The  journey  was 
performed  without  incident  save  one,  that  was  rather 


*The  South  Americans.    Albert  Hale,  p.  42. 


68  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

disturbing.  The  rumor  reached  us,  and  passed  through 
the  car,  that  New  York  had  been  destroyed  by  an  earth- 
quake. Of  course  this  interfered  with  our  tranquility, 
though  it  did  not  appear  probable.  We  afterwards 
discovered,  that  the  news  of  the  destruction  of  Cartago 
in  Costa  Eica  had  been  cabled  from  New  York.  Some 
one  misunderstood  the  message,  and  gave  rise  to  the 
false  report.  We  were  fortunate  in  having  a  wireless 
apparatus  on  board.  It  was  thereby  that  we  found  an 
explanation  of  the  fact  that,  before  we  left  Kio,  the 
flags  were  at  half  mast.  We  then  learned  of  the  death 
of  King  Edward  VII. 

Arriving  on  board  the  Verdi,  was  like  reaching  home ; 
but,  owing  to  another  delay,  we  did  not  leave  port 
until  the  following  day. 

At  Santos  we  took  on  a  load  of  bananas  for  Monte- 
video and  Buenos  Aires.  This  reminds  me  that  a  word 
on  the  products  of  Brazil  would  not  be  out  of  place 
here.  The  principal  products  of  this  vast  country  are 
rubber,  wood,  and  coffee,  but  there  are  many  more  of 
considerable  importance.  Beginning  with  the  immense 
region  of  Amazon  as,  we  find  that,  north  of  the  great 
river,  and  directly  south  of  the  Guianas  which  are 
separated  from  Brazil  by  the  Tumac  Humac  mountains, 
and  by  an  impenetrable  forest,  the  products  are  vanilla 
and  sarsaparilla.  The  great  valley  of  the  Amazon, 
north  of  the  river,  especially  westward  toward  Colum- 
bia, has  been  hardly  touched.  As  we  cross  the  river, 
we  shall  again  find  vanilla,  with  cocoa,  while  further 
to  the  east,  in  the  state  of  Para,  we  meet  with  the 
Brazil  nut  from  whence  the  country  derives  its  name, 
and  from  which  an  oil  is  extracted.  The  great  rubber 
country  lies  southwest  of  the  Amazon,  on  the  confines 
of  Peru  and  Bolivia,  or  south  and  southwest  of  Manaos, 


Santos  and  S.  Paulo  69 

through  which  port  the  rubber  is  especially  exported. 
East  of  the  rubber  district  the  great  forests  supply 
wood  for  building  purposes.  Directly  south  of  these, 
in  the  state  of  Matto  Grosso,  lies  a  mineral  district, 
where  useful  clays,  porphyry,  gold,  iron,  copper,  lead 
and  diamonds  are  found.  Cotton  is  cultivated  along 
the  coast  from  Maranhao  down  to  Bahia.  Tobacco 
runs  in  a  southwesterly  direction  from  Maranhao 
through  Bahia,  to  the  headwaters  of  the  Parana  river, 
and  coffee  along  the  coast  from  Bahia  to  S.  Paulo. 
The  great  mat6  region  extends  southward  from  the 
upper  Parana  to  Uruguay.  The  mat6  is  a  plant  which 
affords  a  much  highly  prized  beverage  to  Brazil,  Uru« 
guay,  Paraguay,  Argentina,  and  Chile.  It  is  to  them 
what  tea  is  to  the  European.  Sugar  is  produced  in 
various  places  along  the  coast,  especially  in  Pernam- 
buco,  Rio  de  Janeiro  and  S.  Paulo,  while  cocoa  planta- 
tions also  exist  in  Bahia.  Cereals  grow  especially  in 
the  southern  states,  from  Parana  to  Rio  Grande  do  Sul. 
Different  kinds  of  wood  are  scattered  over  the  country. 
Gold  and  diamonds  are,  also,  found,  in  various  regions, 
but  the  latter  principally  in  the  state  of  Minas  Geraes. 
The  raising  of  cattle  belongs  to  the  eastern  states,  from 
Ceara  southward,  but  it  is  principally  found  in  Rio 
Grande  do  Sul,  on  the  borders  of  Uruguay.  There  are 
minor  products  to  which  I  make  no  allusion,  but  from 
what  I  have  said,  the  variety  of  resources  will  allow 
us  to  form  an  idea  of  the  immense  wealth  of  Brazil. 

These  vast  regions  are  peopled  first  by  the  aborigi- 
nies  of  various  tribes  who  live  in  the  river  basins,  and 
in  the  forests  from  Guiana  to  Paraguay,  then  by  the 
descendents  of  the  original  Portuguese,  and,  finally, 
by  immigrants  and  their  offspring.  The  oldest  immi- 
grants are  German  and  Swiss  who  came  to  Bahia  and 


70  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

Eio  de  Janeiro  as  early  as  1818.  Germans,  Italians, 
and  others  have  at  various  times  emigrated  to  Brazil  in 
considerable  numbers,  helping  to  swell  the  population, 
and  by  their  labor  increasing  the  wealth  of  the  country. 
We  must  now  bid  farewell  to  Brazil,  with  its  moun- 
tains, and  valleys,  its  forests,  rivers  and  swamps,  and, 
with  no  little  regret,  to  its  courteous  people,  to  proceed 
on  our  journey  to  the  lands  further  south. 


Chapter  VI. 
MONTEVIDEO— LANDING  IN  BUENOS  AIKES. 

Steaming  Down  the  Coast — Geography — Sources  of  Uruguayan 
Wealth — History — Harbor  of  Montevideo — Going  Ashore — 
The  Postoffice  —  Streets  of  the  City  —  The  Cathedral  — 
Bishop  Soler  —  The  Church  in  Uruguay  —  Pocitos.  the 
Fashionable  Resort  —  Steaming  Across  the  La  Plata  — 
Buenos  Aires — The  Docks — The  Custom  House. 

It  took  us  a  long  time  to  get  away  from  the  Santos 
docks,  as  our  anchor  had  become  entangled  with  that 
of  a  French  liner,  and  it  was  with  no  little  difficulty, 
that  we  finally  succeeded  in  getting  clear.  The 
weather,  as  we  left  Santos,  on  May  10th,  was  cool  and 
rainy,  a  reminder  that  we  were  leaving  the  tropics,  and 
entering  the  south  temperate  zone.  On  the  11th  and 
12th,  we  steamed  southward  along  the  Brazilian  coast, 
but  out  of  sight  of  land.  Owing  to  the  heavy  swells, 
such  as  are  frequently  encountered  here,  the  Verdi 
pitched  much,  to  the  great  discomfort  of  passengers 
inclined  to  be  seasick.  On  the  13th,  we  were  nearer  to 
the  coast,  the  sea  became  delightfully  smooth,  and 
flocks  of  birds  began  to  hover  around  the  ship,  growing 
more  numerous  as  we  approached  the  river  Plate.  I 
am  no  naturalist,  and  though  I  frequently  heard  the 
names  of  the  birds,  I  will  not  make  an  attempt  to  point 
out  the  innumerable  varieties  of  those  we  saw  both  on 
the  east,  and  the  west  coast  of  South  America.  The 
greater  number  on  this  particular  day,  very  much 
resembled  wild  ducks.    Some  of  our  men  wasted  much 

71 


72  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

ammunition  in  a  fruitless,  and  wanton  attempt  to  hit 
some  of  them.  We  also  noticed  here  and  there,  a  seal 
or  two,  swimming  some  distance  from  the  ship. 

If  you  will  look  at  the  map  of  South  America,  you 
will  observe,  that  three  large  rivers,  flowing  southward 
through  Brazil,  unite  to  form  what  is  known  as  the  Rio 
de  la  Plata,  or  River  Plate.  These  are  the  Uruguay, 
the  Paraguay,  and  the  Parana.  The  first,  forming  an 
immense  curve,  becomes  the  dividing  line  between 
Argentina  on  the  one  side,  and  Brazil  and  Uruguay  on 
the  other.  It  flows  directly  to  the  sea.  The  Parana, 
after  drawing  its  waters  from  numerous  tributaries  in 
Minas  Geraes  and  S.  Paulo,  unites  with  the  Paraguay 
between  Argentina  and  Paraguay,  to  continue  its  jour- 
ney southward,  and  meet  the  Uruguay,  thus  forming 
the  River  Plate,  upon  the  northern  bank  of  which, 
some  distance  from  the  ocean,  Montevideo  lies.  The^ 
city  is  the  capital  of  Uruguay,  the  smallest  republic  of 
South  America,  also  known  as  the  Banda  Oriental, 
situated  below  the  thirty-fifth  parallel  of  southern  lat- 
itude, with  about  1,000,000  inhabitants. 

The  main  wealth  of  the  country  should  consist,  it 
would  seem,  in  agriculture,  as  the  soil  is  fertile,  and  it 
may  be  cultivated  all  the  year  round,  but  cattle  raising 
has  hitherto  been  the  principal  industry  of  Uruguay. 
The  land  is  owned  by  the  native  born,  and,  after  them, 
by  Italians,  Spaniards,  Brazilians,  French,  and  Eng- 
lish. It  is  generally  low,  but  undulating,  with  hills, 
dignified  by  the  name  of  mountains. 

The  La  plata  was  discovered  in  1516,  yet  the  city  of 
Montevideo  was  not  founded  until  1731,  a  century  and 
a  half  after  Buenos  Aires,  the  seat  of  the  government. 
Uruguay,  coerced  by  Buenos  Aires,  declared  its  inde- 
pendence from  Spain  in  1814,  but  remained  subject  to 


Montevideo — Landing  in  Buenos  Aires  73 

Buenos  Aires,  until  1821,  when  Brazil  captured  her, 
holding  her  until  1825.  Finally,  in  1828,  after  a  strug- 
gle of  three  years,  she  obtained  her  independence. 
Since  then,  her  history  has  been  one  of  repeated  revo- 
lutions. Beginning  with  1860,  the  two  parties  of  Colo- 
rados,  or  Liberals,  and  Blancos,  or  Conservatives,  have 
divided  the  country,  fighting,  it  would  seem,  for  per- 
sonal preference,  rather  than  for  principle.  When  I 
landed  in  Uruguay,  peace  reigned,  yet  no  one  seemed 
to  know  how  long  it  would  last. 

As  you  approach  the  harbor,  one  solitary,  pyramid 
shaped  hill  is  seen.  All  the  rest  is  flat.  It  is  this  hill 
which  must  have  given  its  name  to  the  city.  ''Montem 
video/'  "I  see  a  mountain,"  such  may  have  been  the 
exclamation  in  Latin  of  the  first  discoverers. 

We  cast  anchor  early  in  the  morning  of  Saturday, 
May  14th,  and  the  usual  bustle  began.  The  ship  lay  a 
long  distance  from  the  shore,  although  there  are  docks, 
at  which  vessels  may  tie  up,  and,  in  fact,  several  war- 
ships were  then  lying  at  them. 

After  breakfast,  we  took  passage  on  a  steam  launch, 
paying  one  dollar  for  the  return  trip.  Uruguay  is  the 
only  country  in  South  America  where  the  dollar  is 
worth  more  than  ours,  it  being  equivalent  to  about 
$1.02.  It  circulates  in  paper  and  in  silver.  The  other 
coins  are  50,  20,  10,  5,  2,  and  1  cent  pieces. 

As  you  step  on  the  spacious  and  solid  wharf,  you  will 
find  electric  cars  ready  to  take  you  to  any  part  of  the 
city.  Here,  as  in  other  portions  of  South  America, 
you  will  observe  very  large  and  conspicuous  numbers 
on  the  cars.  The  same  number  follows  the  same  route. 
The  system  is  easily  learned,  and  it  greatly  facilitates 
travelling.  The  abundance  of  cars  will,  with  a  little 
observation,  and  some  inquiries,  render  the  expense  of 


74  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

a  carriage  unnecessary  in  Montevideo.  Your  questions 
will  be  politely  answered,  for  Uruguayans  have  a  spec- 
ial reputation  for  politeness. 

Let  us  proceed  first  to  the  post  office,  as  we  wish  to 
send  home  some  postal  cards  by  the  next  steamer  leav- 
ing for  the  north.  Picture  postal  cards  may  be  ob- 
tained in  all  important  cities  of  South  America.  You 
may  buy  them  in  Montevideo  in  a  little  store,  opposite 
the  postoffice,  which  is  easily  found,  as  it  is  not  far 
from  the  landing,  and  any  one  will  show  it  to  you. 

The  postoffik^e  in  Montevideo  is  remarkable  for  the 
conveniences  it  offers,  and  for  the  system  that  prevails 
in  it.  Go  to  one  of  the  desks,  touch  an  electric  button, 
and  an  attendant  will  bring  you  paper  and  envelopes 
free  of  charge.  I  have  not  found  this  anywhere  but 
in  Montevideo.  One  of  the  employees,  observing  that 
I  was  a  stranger,  addressed  me  in  English,  and  kindly 
volunteered  to  show  me  the  building,  besides  conduct- 
ing me  to  the  store  where  postal  cards  were  for  sale. 

Leaving  the  postoffice,we  begin  our  wandering  through 
the  streets, to  form  a  general  idea  of  the  city, and  to 
gather,  here  and  there,  scraps  of  information.  The  popu- 
lation of  the  capital  of  Uruguay  amounts  to  about  300,- 
000  of  which  a  considerable  portion  is  Italian.  Gener- 
ally quite  modern  in  appearance,  it  contains  a  number 
of  houses  in  the  Spanish  style  with  barred  windows. 
Occasionally  you  catch  a  glimpse  of  the  characteristic 
patio  or  courtyard,  that  common  feature  of  the  houses 
in  Southern  Spain  and  Spanish  America.  Although 
lying  in  the  temperate  zone,  Uruguay  possesses  a  pleas- 
ing semi-tropical  vegetation,  and,  notably,  plants  of  the 
palmetto  variety.  As  you  pass  from  street  to  street, 
you  will  find  one,  by  its  name,  quite  familiar  to  Ameri- 
cans, for  Montevideo  has,  like  so  many  of  our  own 


Montevideo — Landing  in  Buenos  Aires  75 

cities,  its  Calle  WasMngton,  or  Washington  street.  The 
thoroughfares  are  filled  with  people,  bent  on  their  sev- 
eral avocations,  and  you  will  meet  the  beautiful  Uru- 
guayan ladies,  in  groups  or  alone;  for,  during  the  day, 
the  old-time  duena  is  not  always  in  evidence.  This 
will,  perhaps,  impress  you,  coming  as  you  do  from 
tropical  Brazil  w^here  ladies  live  so  much  indoors,  and 
where  they  are  seldom  or  never  seen,  until  the  late 
afternoon. 

Should  your  walk  take  you  through  the  calle  Baca- 
cay,  you  will,  probably,  see  the  national  museum,  and 
if  you  happen  to  be  of  a  literary  turn  of  mind,  you  may, 
also,  visit  the  National  Library.  Uruguay  figures  to  a 
considerable  extent  in  the  literary  history  of  Spanish 
America,  with  historians,  like  Magarinos  Cervantes, 
and  Demaria,  and  poets,  like  Adolf o  Berro.  One  of 
the  prominent  literary  men  of  the  day  is  Dr.  Sorrilla 
San  Martin,  orator,  historian,  and,  of  course,  poet.  A 
visit  to  the  Lihreria  Barreirro  will  introduce  you 
further  to  the  reading  public  of  Montevideo. 

We  now  proceed  to  the  Plaza  de  la  Constituciou 
where,  should  you  wish  to  prolong  your  stay  in  Monte- 
video, you  will  find  accommodations  at  the  Grand 
Hotel.  There  is,  however,  one  building  that  will  surely 
draw  your  attention,  namely  the  Cathedral  of  the  Im- 
maculate Conception  and  of  Saints  Philip  and  James. 
Built,  like  most  Latin  American  churches,  in  the  style 
of  the  Kennaissance,  it  was  consecrated  in  1804,  becom- 
ing the  cathedral  in  1878.  The  faqade  is  adorned  with 
Corinthian  pilasters.  The  vast  and  sombre  interior, 
impressive  by  its  solemnity,  contains  the  tombs  of  three 
bishops.  One  of  these  holds  all  that  is  mortal  of  him 
whom  I  should  so  much  have  desired  to  know,  the  dis- 
tinguished and  learned  Dr.  Mariano  Soler,  first  arch 


76  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

bishop  of  Montevideo.  A  fellow  member  of  the  In- 
ternational Congress  of  Americanists,  I  had  never  had 
the  pleasure  of  meeting  him  at  its  sessions,  and,  before 
the  Americanists  came  to  his  own  southern  hemisphere, 
he  had  passed  away.  All  that  was  left  for  me,  was  to 
stand  beside  his  tomb. 

Montevideo  was  not  raised  to  the  rank  of  a  metro- 
politan see  until  1897.  Although,  nominally,  several 
episcopal  sees  have  been  created  in  Uruguay,  there  is 
de  facto  only  one  bishop  in  the  Republic,  as,  up  to  the 
time  of  my  visit,  none  had  been  appointed  to  the  other 
dioceses.  The  city  possesses  a  number  of  churches,  but 
only  four  have  the  rank  of  a  parish  church.  These  are 
the  Cathedral,  San  Francisco,  La  Aguada,  and  El  Cor- 
don. Among  the  many  churches,  that  of  El  Cristo 
Pacientisimo  which  you  will  observe  at  a  short  distance 
on  leaving  the  wharf,  is  worth  a  visit. 

The  Jesuit  Fathers  have  charge  of  the  Seminary,  but 
here,  as  in  many  other  countries  of  South  America, 
there  are  few  vocations  to  the  priesthood.  This  scarcity 
of  native  ecclesiastics  has  rendered  it  necessary  to 
accept  the  services  of  those  from  abroad,  and  hence  it 
is,  that  so  many  foreign  priests,  French,  German,  Ital- 
ian, and  Spanish,  are  scattered  throughout  South 
America.  In  Uruguay  we  find,  besides  the  Jesuits,  the 
Capuchins,  the  Salesians  of  Don  Bosco,  the  Oblates  of 
St.  Francis  de  Sales,  the  Franciscans,  the  Fathers  of 
the  Sacred  Heart  of  Bayonne,  the  Mercedarians,  the 
Pallottini,  and  German  R«demptorists.  Most  of  the 
members  of  these  religious  orders  are  foreigners,  and 
they  are  always  on  the  qui  vive,  not  knowing  at  what 
hour  an  edict  of  banishment  may  be  passed  against 
them.  In  the  meantime,  they  are  working  hard  in  the 
ministry.     As  a  rule,  the  clergy  of  Uruguay  is  very 


CATHEDRAL,    MONTEVIDEO 


Montevideo — Landing  in  Buenos  Aires  71 

gocMi,  though,  to  some  extent,  characterized  by  that 
inactivity  and  slowness,  found  in  so  many  Latin  coun- 
tries. Educational  work  for  boys  is  conducted  in  the 
colleges  of  the  Jesuit  Fathers,  and  of  the  Brothers  of 
the  Holy  Family. 

The  Catholic  Church  is  still  recognized  officially,  but 
only  the  bishops  and  the  seminary  obtain  a  subvention 
from  the  government.  In  spite  of  the  union  of  church 
and  state,  there  seems  to  be  an  undercurrent  of  hostil- 
ity to  the  Church  which  may  break  out  at  any  moment. 
The  public  schools  are  neutral,  and  the  teaching  of 
religion  is  excluded,  while  the  state  university  is  said  to 
be  atheistic  in  its  tendencies.  Keligion  has  no  place  even 
in  the  foundling  asylum.  Although  there  are  Catholic 
organs,  like  El  Bien,  and  prominent  Catholic  laymen, 
like  Dr.  Sorrilla  San  Martin,  most  newspapers  are  hos- 
tile to  the  Church.  It  is  no  wonder,  that,  with  the 
elimination  of  religious  prinicples,  morality  should  be 
discounted.  While  influences  for  good  are  crushed  to 
earth,  French  literature  and  the  French  theatre  are 
permitted  to  corrupt  the  morals  of  the  people,  and  they 
say,  that  licensed  prostitution  is  widespread. 

Before  leaving  Montevideo,  we  take  an  electric  car  to 
Pocitos,  a  beautiful  suburb  on  the  sea,  where,  in  the 
season,  one  may  enjoy  a  fine  salt  water  bath.  There 
are  splendid  modern  residences  here,  but,  at  this  time, 
they  are  closed,  as  well  as  the  hotels;  for  Winter  is 
approaching.  Pocitos  is  a  watering  place,  of  easy 
access,  where,  in  Summer,  the  fashion  and  culture  of 
Montevideo  are  seen  at  their  best. 

Returning  to  the  wharf,  we  find  a  large  number  of 
sailors  of  the  Uruguayan  navy,  which  is  still  in  its 
infancy,  performing  their  evolutions.  As  our  launch 
was  not  ready,  we  made  a  visit  to  a  steamer  at  the  dock, 


78  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

belonging  to  one  of  the  two  lines,  plying  between  Mon- 
tevideo and  Buenos  Aires.  The  Mahanovich  line  is  the 
best.  Its  steamers  run  every  night,  carrying  passen- 
genrs  to  Buenos  Aires  for  six  dollars,  which  includes 
the  stateroom,  dinner  with  wine,  and  coffee  in  the 
morning. 

We  had  now  entered  upon  the  last  stage  of  our  jour- 
ney, for,  on  the  morrow,  we  were  to  bid  farewell  to  tho 
Verdi.  We  weighed  anchor  at  5  p.  m.,  to  steam  diago- 
nally across  the  La  Plata.  Nothing  is  henceforth  to 
be  seen,  but  passing  ships,  and  two  long  lines  of  lighted 
buoys  that  mark  the  channel.  The  morning  found  us 
off  Buenos  Aires.  Several  ships  were  anchored  out  in 
the  stream,  but  the  harbor,  entirely  artificial,  is  within 
a  solid  wall  of  masonry.  As  we  enter,  the  long  line  of 
vessels  at  the  docks  stretches  before  us,  and  we  take 
our  place  among  them,  near  a  large  Italian  steamer, 
that  left  Montevideo  before  us. 

Not  very  many  years  ago,  ships  were  obliged  to 
anchor  out  in  the  stream ;  today  all  that  can  find  room, 
and  are  not,  like  some  men-o'-war,  of  too  deep  a 
draught,  may  come  up  to  the  docks.  There  are  two 
entrances  to  the  harbor  proper,  one  on  the  north,  oppo- 
site the  Juncal  and  Santa  Fe  streets,  and  the  other  on 
the  south,  which  is  properly  the  mouth  of  the  Kiaehuelo 
Elver,  that  forms  the  southern  boundary  of  the  city. 
The  northern  channel  leads  to  a  wide  basin,  the  Darsena 
isforte,  whence  ships  turn  to  the  left  to  enter  the  docks 
which  are  separated  from  the  stream  by  a  long  plat- 
form, in  the  figure  of  an  irregular  triangle.  The  har- 
bor, with  its  wharves,  is  divided  into  four  sections, 
from  which  you  enter  at  an  angle,  into  the  Darsena 
Sud,  and  thence  into  the  Ante  Puerto,  which  firsi 
receives  the  Kiaehuelo  as  it  flows  into  the  La  Plata, 


Montevideo — Landing  in  Biienos  Aires  79 

through  the  southern  canal.  The  docks  will  be  con 
tinned  to  the  north,  and,  also,  southward,  across  the 
Kiachuelo,  along  the  district  known  as  Avellaneda. 

Shortly  after  docking,  when  the  doctor's  visit  was 
completed,  I  took  my  baggage  ashore.  The  whole  of  it 
consisted  of  a  bag,  and  a  dress  suit  case,  into  which  1 
had  managed  to  squeeze  my  entire  travelling  outfit.  I 
had  every  reason  to  congratulate  myself,  that  I  had  no 
trunk,  for  the  transportation  of  trunks  is  one  of  the 
great  hindrances  to  travel,  adding,  also,  materially  to 
the  expense.  When  travelling  abroad,  take  as  little 
baggage  as  you  can. 

One  of  the  worries  a  traveller  experiences,  on  land- 
ing at  any  port  is  the  passing  of  the  custom  house.  In 
this  regard,  I  was  fortunate,  for  I  merely  exhibited  my 
document  from  the  Department  of  State,  designating 
me  as  a  delegate  to  the  International  Congress  of  Amer- 
icanists, and  I  was  allowed  to  pass.  I  afterwards 
learned,  that  the  Argentine  government  had  issued 
orders  that  the  baggage  of  foreign  delegates  was  not  to 
be  examined.  In  fact,  mine  was  not  disturbed  once, 
until  I  reached  New  York.  I  had  merely  to  mention 
the  fact,  that  I  had  been  a  delegate  of  the  United  States 
in  Argentina,  and  I  was  treated  everywhere  with  cour- 
tesy, in  the  West  Indies,  as  well  as  in  South  America 


Chapter  VII. 

ARGENTINA. 

Tbe  International  Congress  of  Americanists  —  Geography  of 
Argentina  — Climate — History  — Aborigines  — Descendants 
of  Spaniards — Immigrants — Industrial  Interests — Banks — 
Dealings  with  South  Americans — Resources — Manufacto- 
ries— Railroads — Government — Army   and   Navy. 

Here  I  am  then  in  Argentina :  the  goal  of  my  jour- 
ney is  reached.  For  some  time,  I  had  wished  to  form  a 
personal  acquaintance  with  South  America,  prin- 
cipally in  the  interest  of  my  work  on  the  History  of 
Spanish-American  Literature.^  Weeks  of  hesitation 
and  uncertainty  were  spent,  but  my  decision  was 
taken,  when  the  government  designated  me  a  dele- 
gate to  the  International  Congress  of  Americanists, 
the  seventeenth  session  of  which  was  to  be  held  at 
Buenos  Aires,  in  May,  and  in  Mexico  in  September. 

The  International  Congress  of  Americanists  is  com- 
posed of  scholars  or  other  persons,  more  or  less  inter- 
ested, from  all  parts  of  the  world  who  meet  in  differ- 
ent places,  every  two  years,  to  discuss  scientific  and 
historical  matters,  appertaining  to  the  New  World, 
and  its  inhabitants.  A  great  deal  of  material  is  thus 
gathered  which  would,  otherwise,  be  lost,  and  the 
Reports  of  these  Congresses  contain  a  veritable  mine 
of  information. 

The  first  Congress  was  held  at  Nancy  in  1875,  with 
others    following    at    Luxemburg,    Brusselis,    Madrid, 


i.See  Bulletin  of  the  International  Bureau  of  American  Re- 
publics, May  and  September,  1910. 

80 


PLAZA    HOTEL^   BUENOS   AIRES 


Argentina  81 

Copenhagen,  Turin,  Berlin,  Paris,  Huelva,  and  Stock- 
holm. The  one  that  was  first  convened  on  this  side 
of  the  Atlantic,  met  at  Mexico  in  1895.  Since  then, 
the  custom  has  been  established  of  alternating  between 
the  Old  and  the  New  World.  In  accordance  with  this 
custom,  the  Congresses  that  followed  were  held  at 
Paris,  New  York,  Stuttgart,  Quebec  and  Vienna. 

At  that  of  Vienna,  both  Mexico  and  Argentina 
claimed  the  privilege  of  the  next  congress,  and,  as 
both  these  countries  were  to  celebrate  the  centennial 
anniversary  of  their  independence,  it  was  decided  that 
the  seventeenth  congress  in  1910,  should  be  held  in  two 
sessions,  the  one  in  Buenos  Aires,  and  the  other  in 
Mexico. 

Members  are  either  delegates  of  governments,  univer- 
sities, or  learned  societies,  or  they  assist  in  their  indi- 
vidual capacity.  The  author  of  this  work  has  been 
a  member  of  the  congresses  of  Huelva,  Mexico,  New 
York,  Stuttgart,  Quebec,  and  Buenos  Aires-Mexico. 
At  Stuttgart,  he  represented  the  United  States,  and 
the  Catholic  University  of  America,  and,  at  the  Seven- 
teenth International  Congress,  he  was  a  delegate  of 
the  United  States,  the  Smithsonian  Institution,  and 
the  Catholic  University. 

I  will  now  beg  you  to  accompany  me  to  the  Hotel 
Plaza,  where  I  have  taken  up  my  abode  for  the  first 
couple  of  days.  In  a  quiet  little  nook,  away  from  the 
noises  of  the  great  city,  we  shall,  in  general  outlines, 
discuss  Argentina.  To  facilitate  our  study,  let  us 
spread  the  map  of  the  Argentine  Kepublic  before  us. 

You  will  notice,  that  a  small  portion  of  the  country 
is  situated  north  of  the  tropic  of  Capricorn,  and  the 
remainder  in  the  temperate  zone.  The  northern  fron- 
tiers lie  a  little  south  of  the  twentieth  degree  of  south- 


82  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

ern  latitude,  while  the  extreme  southern  limit  stretches 
far  below  the  fiftieth  parallel.  Argentina,  pear-shaped 
as  it  is,  occupies  almost  the  entire  width  of  the  conti- 
nent from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Andes,  narrowing  south- 
ward, until  it  dies  away  into  the  ocean  at  the  eastern 
point  of  Tierra  del  Fuego.  It  is  bounded  by  Bolivia 
and  Paraguay  on  the  north,  by  Paraguay,  Brazil, 
Uruguay,  and  the  Atlantic  ocean  on  the  east,  by  the 
straits  of  Magellan  and  the  ocean  on  the  south,  and 
by  Chile  on  the  west.  One-third  the  size  of  the  United 
States,  it  has  an  area  of  1,135,480  square  miles.  From 
the  heights  of  the  Andes,  through  which  the  boundary 
line  runs,  the  land  slopes  down  toward  the  sea.  The 
only  mountains  are  in  the  west,  along  the  eastern  slope 
of  the  Andes;  but  the  rest  of  the  country  is  a  fertile 
plain,  with  about  500,000,000  of  acres  capable  of  culti- 
vation, the  whole  being  watered  by  numerous  streams, 
especially  in  the  north  and  south.  The  transportation 
of  merchandise  to  the  sea  is  facilitated  by  railroads, 
rivers,  and  wagon  roads.  The  climate,  except  in  the 
extreme  south,  is  mild,  though  extremely  variable, 
severe  frost  and  snow  being  practically  unknown  in 
the  best  portions  of  the  country.  Tremendous  storms, 
with  fierce  thunder  and  lightning,  known  as  pamperos^ 
occasionally  come  sweeping  down  to  the  river  from 
the  pampas,  threatening  lives  and  property,  and  menac- 
ing ships  with  destruction.  They  are  to  Argentina 
what  hurricanes  are  to  the  West  Indies,  and  cyclones 
to  us. 

The  La  Plata  region  was  discovered  in  1516  by  Juan 
Diaz  de  Solis  who  never  returned,  as  he  was  mur- 
dered by  the  Ouarani  Indians  in  March  of  the  same 
year.  These  terrible  aborigines,  said  to  have  been 
cannibals,   inhabited   the  region  of  the   Parand   and 


Argentina  83 

Paraguay,  as  far  north  as  the  river  Maranon,  and 
westward  to  the  confines  of  Peru.^ 

It  was  Don  Pedro  de  Mendoza  who  began  the  coloni- 
zation of  the  country  on  the  Kio  de  Solis,  or  La  Plata, 
landing,  in  1535,  on  the  spot  where  Buenos  Aires  now 
stands.  Other  expeditions,  entering  by  the  La  Plata, 
extended  the  dominion  of  Spain  along  this  river,  as 
well  as  the  Parang,  and  the  Paraguay,  while  the 
western  portions  of  the  country  were  colonized  from 
Peru  and  Chile.  The  whole  remained  for  a  long  time 
subject  to  the  viceroyalty  of  Peru.  Although  the 
region  known  as  Buenos  Aires  was  occupied  and  gov- 
erned since  Mendoza's  time,  and  several  cities  now 
belonging  to  the  Kepublic  had  been  founded,  the  foun- 
dations of  the  present  City  of  Buenos  Aires  were  not 
laid,  until  1580,  when  Juan  de  Garay  began  it  under 
the  name  of  "La  Trinidad,"  a  name  now  completely 
forgotten,  that  of  the  region  and  harbor  having  taken 
its  place.^ 

As  the  La  Plata  regions  offered  little  induce- 
ment to  adventurers,  in  the  shape  of  gold  and  silver, 
objects  so  fiercely  coveted  by  those  that  were  com- 
ing to  America,  the  progress  of  the  country  was  ex- 
tremely slow,  when  compared  to  other  Spanish  colo- 
nies. From  the  end  of  the  sixteenth  century,  until 
their  expulsion  in  1767,  the  influence  of  the  paternal 
domination  which  the  Jesuits  had  established  in  Para- 
guay was  felt  in  a  large  portion  of  the  countries  bor- 
dering on  the  La  Plata,  and  as  far  west  as  the  Andes. 
Shortly  after  the  expulsion  of  the  Jesuits,  the  separate 


2  Estudios  Historlcos,  P.  Federico  Vogt,  S.  V.  D.,  Buenos 
Aires,  1903,  p.  12. 

3  El  Escudo  de  Armas  de  la  Ciudad  de  Buenos  Aires.  B. 
Aires,  1910.  The  Colonial  archives  of  the  Museo  Mitre  at 
Buenos  Aires  contain  a  splendid  series  of  documents,  extend- 
ing from  1514  to  1810. 


84  Lands  of  the  Southern  Gross 

viceroy alty  of  the  Rio  de  la  Plata  was  established,  and 
the  colony  entered  upon  a  new  era.  Buenos  Aires 
became  the  residence  of  the  viceroy. 

In  1806,  the  country  was  attacked  by  the  English, 
but  the  combined  colonial  and  Spanish  forces  repelled 
the  invasion.  In  1810,  the  spirit  of  revolution  was 
abroad.  Buenos  Aires  caught  the  fire,  and  on  May 
25  of  that  year,  she  declared  her  independence. 

Like  other  South  American  countries,  Argentina 
has,  since  then,  passed  through  countless  vicissitudes. 
Discord  prevailed  generally,  until  1825,  when  war  broke 
out  with  Brazil,  as  each  nation  claimed  Uruguay. 
After  the  war,  which  lasted  a  few  years,  jealousy 
between  the  provinces  and  Buenos  Aires  appeared 
anew,  resulting  in  the  supreme  power  of  the  cowboy^ 
or  Gaucho,  Rosas,  who  became  dictator  in  1835,  hold- 
ing the  reins  of  government  with  tyrannical  power, 
until  1852,  when  he  was  driven  out,  to  make  place  for 
a  continued  series  of  disturbances,  until  1862,  when 
peace  was  restored  in  the  triumph  of  Buenos  Aires. 
Then  followed  the  war  against  the  Paraguayan  dic- 
tator Lopez  that  decimated  Paraguay,  nearly  destroyed 
its  male  population,  and  exhausted  Argentina  as  well. 
Since  then,  Argentina  has  advanced  with  gigantic 
strides  on  the  road  to  prosperity,  owing  to  the  great 
influx  of  foreign  capital,  and  to  the  increase  of  immi- 
gration which  she  has  encouraged.  From  1868  to 
1874,  about  250,000  immigrants  entered  the  country, 
and,  from  1880  to  1892,  their  number  was  between 
seven  and  eight  hundred  thousand,*  while  the  tide  has 
gone  on  increasing,  until  today  Argentina  has  a  popu- 
lation of  something  like  seven  millions.  This  popula- 
tion  consists  of  the  aborigines  in   the  northern   dis- 


*  The  South  Americans.    Albert  Hale,  p.  107,  108. 


Argentina  85 

tricts  and  in  the  far  south,  of  the  descendants  of  the 
early  Spanish  colonizers,  and  of  immigrants,  and  their 
descendants. 

The  aborigines,  when  the  Spaniards  first  arrived, 
were  the  Kerandis,  Charruas,  Tupis,  Agaces,  Guaya- 
curus,  Guaranis,  and  Payaguas  on  the  La  Plata,  and 
the  Humahuacas,  Calchakis,  Lules  and  Juris  in  Tucu- 
man  which,  at  that  time,  comprised  the  whole  north- 
western portion  of  what  is  now  Argentina.  The  descen- 
dants of  these  groups,  either  fullbloods,  or  halfbreeds, 
still  dwell  in  the  northern  part  of  the  Republic,  hav- 
ing become,  more  or  less,  civilized  in  the  course  of 
centuries,  although  the  savage  condition  of  some  con- 
tinues. About  thirty  years  ago,  they  were  subdued 
by  General  Roca.  Descendants  of  Indians  in  Argen- 
tina have,  before  the  law,  the  same  rights  as  others; 
they  are  citizens.  The  provinces  and  territories  in 
which  they  are  most  numerous  are  Chaco,  Tucuman, 
Catamarca,  La  Rioja,  San  Luis,  Mendoza,  Salta  and 
Juguy,  besides  those  between  the  Parand  and  the 
Uruguay,  namely  Misiones,  Corrientes,  and  Entre  Rios, 
the  scene  of  the  labors  of  the  early  Jesuits. 

The  Patagonian  Indians  in  the  south  are  decreasing 
in  numbers,  smallpox  having  been  one  of  their  deadly 
enemies,  while  the  original  Fuegians  still  live  in  the 
extreme  south  of  the  Republic. 

The  descendants  of  the  old  Spaniards  are  the  core 
of  the  country,  upon  which  they  have  impressed  their 
language  that  will  never  be  superseded.  They  form 
a  society  apart,  as  the  "bluebloods"  of  Argentina,  and, 
socially,  mingle  little  with  the  newcomers.  A  large 
proportion  have  made  fortunes  through  their  own,  or 
their  ancestors'  pastoral  operations.  Of  course  there 
is    a    poorer    class,    and    some    very    poor,    scattered 


86  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

through  the  country;  but  they  are  generally  of  pure 
Spanish  descent,  with  perhaps,  in  some  instances,  a 
mixture  of  Indian  blood. 

Among  the  immigrants,  we  have  to  distinguish  the 
old  colonies,  principally  English,  Scotch,  and  Irish. 
Many  of  these  have  amassed  large  fortunes  in  agricul- 
ture, and  stock  raising.  Their  descendants,  born  in 
the  province  of  Buenos  Aires,  are  known  as  Portenos, 
from  Puerto,  the  harbor.  In  the  southern  part  of  the 
state,  a  number  of  old  Scotch  and  English  families 
still  live.  A  considerable  proportion  of  land  owners 
in  the  province  of  Buenos  Aires  are  of  Irish  descent, 
some  being  very  wealthy.  The  Irish  in  general  have 
not  only  preserved  the  English  language,  but  they 
have  kept  it  with  a  well  marked  brogue.  At  one  time, 
especially  in  the  country,  their  children  could  hardly 
speak  Spanish.  Today,  however,  the  language  of  the 
land  is  prevailing  more  and  more,  especially  with  the 
younger  generation.  The  Irish  colony  is  very  clan- 
nish, having  kept  together  most  remarkably  in  the 
land  of  exile. 

The  newcomers  are,  in  the  vast  majority,  Italians, 
and  Spaniards.  The  others  are  Germans,  French, 
Poles,  Russian  Jews,  Syrians,  and  people  of  every 
other  nationality.  There  is  a  Polish  colony  in  Mis- 
iones  and  a  part  of  Corrientes,  devoted  to  agriculture, 
and  a  large  Jewish  colony  in  Entre  Rios.  Very  few 
negroes  are  seen  in  Buenos  Aires;  and  their  number 
seems  to  be  diminishing  in  the  whole  land. 

There  is  no  distinct  Argentine  type,  as  the  popula- 
tion, very  mixed,  is  in  a  state  of  transition. 

The  Italian  and  Spanish  immigrants  form  the  labor- 
ing population,  the  Gallegos,  from  Galicia  in  Spain, 
furnishing  a  considerable  quota   of  domestics.     The 


Argentina  87 

great  industrial  interests,  requiring  much  capital,  are 
principally  in  the  hands  of  the  French,  English  and 
Germans,  the  last  being  prominent  in  commerce. 
Financial  affairs  and  banking  are,  to  a  great  extent, 
managed  by  English  and  Germans,  the  London  and 
Brazilian  Bank  being  quite  prominent.  However,  the 
Bank  of  the  Argentine  Nation,  ^^ Banco  de  la  Nacion 
Argentina/^  is  a  very  large  institution  about  eighteen 
years  old,  and  there  are  other  Argentine  banks,  such 
as  the  Municipal,  and  ^^El  Hogar  Argentino/'  Among 
foreign  institutions,  are  the  Bank  of  Italy  and  Rio  do 
La  Plata,  the  Spanish  Bank  of  Rio  de  La  Plata,  and 
the  Transatlantic  German  Bank.  The  Bank  of  the 
Argentine  Nation  has  three  branches  in  the  city, 
besides  the  main  institution,  namely  at  Boca,  Flores, 
and  Bel  gran  o,  and  118  branches  throughout  the  Repub- 
lic. The  combined  capital  of  these  provincial  banks 
amounted,  at  the  end  of  1909,  to  |98,000,000. 

A  good  American  bank  in  South  America  appears  to 
be  a  desideratum.  In  fact,  American  influence  in 
Argentina  is  still  in  its  infancy,  though  trade  between 
the  two  countries  has  been  greatly  developed.  It  will 
surely  increase,  if  we  convince  the  people  of  South 
America,  that  we  are  sincere  and  honest,  and  that 
we  consider  them  our  equals  in  civilization.  The  first 
thing  we  have  to  do  is  to  teach  them  to  trust  us.  We 
must  of  necessity  lay  aside  the  idea  that  "any  old 
thing  is  good  enough  for  South  America."  In  our 
dealings  with  them  it  is  essential,  that  we  should 
adhere  strictly  to  our  contract,  manufacturing  their 
goods  for  them,  according  to  their  needs  and  wishes, 
and  not  in  accordance  with  our  own  views.  Besides, 
if  our  manufacturers  and  merchants  wish  to  increase 
their  South  American  trade,  they  will  have  to  work 


88  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

on  the  credit  system,  as  South  Americans  have  been 
accustomed  to  long  credit,  on  the  part  of  the  English 
and  Germans  who  have  understood  them  better  than 
we  do. 

The  resources  of  the  country,  though  less  varied 
than  those  of  Brazil,  are  of  the  greatest  importance 
for  the  world  at  large,  consisting,  as  they  do,  princi- 
pally of  foodstuffs,  for  Argentina  is  fast  becoming  a 
bread  and  meat  market  of  the  world.  It  is  pre- 
eminently an  agricultural  and  pastoral  country,  with 
comparatively  few  manufactures. 

Argentina  is  a  country  of  cereals,  and  wheat  forms 
its  greatest  crop;  hence  the  cultivation  of  this  article 
is  on  the  increase.  A  very  important  agricultural 
product  is  flax,  though,  like  tobacco,  it  has  a  tendency 
to  exhaust  the  soil.  However,  as  it  has  been  found  to 
be  more  profitable  than  wheat,  great  attention  is  paid 
to  its  cultivation.  In  1909,  about  150  tons  of  flax  were 
exported  from  Argentina  to  the  United  States. 

In  the  province  of  Mendoza,  the  cultivation  of  the 
grape,  and  the  manufacture  of  wine  have  increased  to 
such  an  extent,  since  1885,  that  Argentina  now  heads 
the  list  of  the  wine  producing  countries  of  America, 
Chile  being  second,  and  the  United  States  third.  The 
annual  product  of  Argentina  is  3,171,000  hectolitres, 
against  1,600,000  of  the  United  States. 

These  wines  are  of  numerous  varieties,  such  as  the 
native,  the  French,  from  an  imported  grape,  the  white 
wines,  known  as  Semilon  and  Sauvignon,  and  wines 
resembling  the  Italian  Barbera,  as  well  as  Marsala, 
Sherry,  Port,  and  even  Champagne.  The  one  great 
drawback  to  the  wine  culture  of  Mendoza  is  the  high 
freight  charged  for  transit  across  the  pampas.  While 
from  Europe  to  Buenos  Aires  twelve  dollars  silver  is 


Argentina  89 

paid,  freight  from  Mendoza  to  the  capital  costs  thirty- 
six  dollars  per  ton.^ 

The  sugar  industry  flourishes  in  the  province  of 
Tucuman,  in  the  northern  part  of  the  country,  between 
the  twenty-seventh  and  twenty-eighth  parallels  of  lati- 
tude south.  Although  Tucuman  is  the  smallest  of 
the  Argentine  provinces,  it  is  in  proportion,  perhaps, 
the  richest.  As  early  as  the  17th  century,  the  Jesuits, 
from  their  college  of  Lules,  had  begun  the  cultivation 
of  sugar  cane,  but  the  present  condition  of  this  branch 
of  agriculture  owes  its  initiation  in  1821,  to  a  distin- 
guished patriot.  Bishop  Jose  Eusebio  Colombres,  who 
became  Bishop  of  Salta  in  1858,  and  died  the  following 
year  at  Tucuman.  He  was  one  of  the  fifteen  priests 
who  had  signed  the  act  of  independence  on  July  9, 1816. 

In  1896,  Argentina  produced  163,000  tons  of  sugar, 
of  which  141,000  came  from  Tucuman.  This  industry 
is  becoming  one  of  the  most  important,  and,  probably, 
before  long,  the  supply  will  much  exceed  the  figure  of 
200,000  tons,  suflScient  to  meet  the  demands  of  the 
Argentine  market  for  home  consumption. 

Another  tropical,  or  semi-tropical,  product  of  Argen- 
tina is  cotton,  plantations  of  which  exist  in  Chaco  in 
the  northeastern  section  of  the  country. 

Cattle  raising  divides  with  agriculture  the  great 
source  of  Argentine  wealth.  Immense  cattle  ranches, 
or  estancias,  are  scattered  over  the  land,  especially 
on  the  pampas  between  Buenos  Aires,  and  the  province 
of  Mendoza  on  the  confines  of  Chile.  These  estancias 
are  measured,  not  by  acres,  but  by  square  miles,  and 
you  may  travel  for  quite  a  distance,  with  nothing  in 


8  For  a  detailed  account  of  the  wine  and  sugar  industry  of 
Argentina,  see  the  Buenos  Aires  Magazine  Caras  y  Caretat, 
May,  1910. 


90  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

sight  but  the  limitless  plain,  and  herds  of  cattle,  until 
you  catch  a  glimpse  of  the  residence  of  the  estanciero 
in  the  distance.  The  raising  of  cattle  created  the 
wealth  of  the  early  Argentinians,  as  well  as  of  foreign- 
ers who  had  settled  in  the  country,  making  millionaires 
of  not  a  few  who  are  now  living  in  splendor  either  in 
their  country  homes,  or  in  their  palatial  residences  in 
Buenos  Aires.  Cattle  raising  also  created  the  gaucho, 
the  cowboy  of  the  pampas,  who  has  figured  to  some 
extent  in  South  American  literature. 

To  cattle  raising  must,  also,  be  added  that  of  sheep. 
Immense  flocks  are  possessed,  and  an  Irishman  is  on 
record  who,  at  one  time,  owned  500,000  head.  Sheep 
raising,  however,  is  gradually  becoming  superseded  by 
agriculture  in  the  province  of  Buenos  Aires,  though  it 
is  on  the  increase  in  the  southern  part  of  the  republic. 

It  stands  to  reason,  that  the  cattle  industry  is  not 
without  its  difficulties.  Sometimes  the  mortality  is 
very  great,  and,  of  recent  years,  the  fiehre  aftosa  has 
been  carrying  off  hundreds  of  them.  Besides,  they  eat 
a  kind  of  thistle,  called  cardos,  which,  swelling  them 
up,  causes  death.  As  you  ride  through  the  pampas, 
it  is  no  uncommon  thing,  to  see  carcasses  lying  here 
and  there,  on  your  way. 

Estates  in  Buenos  Aires  cannot  be  willed  away  indis- 
criminately at  death.  The  law  requires  a  proprietor 
to  divide  his  property  equally  among  all  his  children, 
with  the  exception  of  one-fifth,  of  which  he  may  dis- 
pose by  testament.  This  must,  in  course  of  time,  have 
the  effect  of  dividing  the  vast  estates,  and  creating 
more  numerous,  if  smaller,  land  owners. 

The  laborers  on  the  estates,  especially  those  engaged 
in  /agriculture,  are  the  numerous  immigrants  that 
Europe  has,  of  late,  been  pouring  upon  the  Argentine 


Argentina  91 

shore.  Many  of  them  rent  land,  while  others  work  on 
shares,  giving  a  percentage  to  the  owners.  In  course 
of  time,  by  dint  of  labor  and  industry,  they  go  to  swell 
the  number  of  landed  proprietors,  extending  thus  the 
basis  of  the  nation's  prosperity.  Labor  is  much  needed, 
and,  consequently,  all  who  are  willing  to  work  may 
find  room,  and,  eventually,  prosperity  in  Argentina. 

Outside  of  agricultural  products,  and  meat,  Argen- 
tina imports,  at  the  present  time,  almost  all  that  it 
needs,  though  the  prosperity  of  the  country  is  evi- 
denced by  the  fact,  that,  on  the  whole,  its  exports 
exceed  its  imports.  Commerce  with  the  United  States 
is  on  the  increase,  and  a  number  of  articles  are  brought 
from  our  country,  such  as  machinery,  iron,  steel,  and 
building  material  generally,  besides  hats  and  shoes 
to  some  extent. 

A  large  proportion  of  the  live  stock  and  refrigerator 
meat,  as  well  as  wheat,  is  exported  to  England,  and  of 
wood  to  Germany.  Great  slaughter  houses  exist  at 
Buenos  Aires,  where  Armour  &  Company  have  a  plant. 

Among  Argentine  manufactures  leathern  goods  oc- 
cupy a  prominent  position,  since  skins  are  so  num- 
erous, while  beer  and  cigars  are  manufactured  for 
home  consumption.  The  photographic,  and  typo- 
graphic arts  have,  also,  attained  a  condition  of  high 
perfection,  besides  some  other  industries. 

The  railroad  system  in  Argentina  is  the  highest 
developed  in  South  America,  although  it  is  mostly  in 
the  hands  of  foreign  capitalists,  English  and  French. 
The  province  of  Buenos  Aires,  and  a  portion  of  Cor- 
doba and  Santa  Fe,  are  covered  with  a  network  of 
railways,  connecting  the  capital  with  the  outlying 
districts,  while  a  few  long-distance  lines  run  north, 
south,   west,  and  southwest.      These    railways    have 


92  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

opened  the  country  to  settlement,  and  though  many  of 
the  places,  marked  on  the  map,  are  merely  stations, 
still  they  will  no  doubt,  in  course  of  time,  form  centres 
of  population.  One  of  the  principal  railways  is  the 
Central  Argentine  which,  besides  a  local  traffic,  runs 
to  Rosario,  Cordoba,  Tucuman,  Salta  and  Jujuy,  and 
almost  to  Bolivia.  It  is  to  be  continued  northward, 
and  it  may  thus  finally  connect  the  Atlantic  with  the 
railways  on  the  west  coast.  The  Eastern  railway  runs 
southward  to  Bahia  Blanca,  and  the  Pacific  railway 
westward  to  Mendoza,  connecting  with  the  Trans 
Andean  lines,  while  the  Southern  railway  has  already 
reached  Neuquen,  in  the  southwestern  part  of  the 
state.  A  number  of  other  companies,  too  numerous 
to  mention,  operate  roads  in  Argentina.  The  tracks 
are  laid  in  three  guages,  broad,  middle,  and  narrow. 
By  one  or  another,  it  is  now  possible  to  reach  almost 
the  extreme  limits  of  the  Republic,  except  the  far 
south,  and  other  roads  are  projected.  The  lines  are 
owned  either  by  the  government,  or  by  English  and 
French  companies. 

The  cars  are  of  the  American  pattern  generally, 
with  sleeping,  and  dining  cars,  on  the  long-distance 
roads.  The  "sleepers"  are  either  of  the  Pulman  type, 
or  they  are  built  on  the  stateroom  system,  with  a  long 
corridor  outside  of  the  rooms.  Each  stateroom  is 
made  to  accommodate  two  persons,  with  the  neces- 
sary appurtenances  for  washing,  as  on  board  ships. 

Argentina  is  a  federal  republic,  with  fourteen  pro- 
vinces, and  ten  territories.  The  provinces  are  Buenos 
Aires,  Santa  Fe,  Entre  Rios,  Corrientes,  Cordoba,  San 
Luis,  Mendoza,  San  Juan,  La  Rioja,  Catamarca,  San- 
tiago del  Estero,  Tucuman,  Salta,  and  Jujuy,  and  the 
territories,  Misiones,  Formosa,  Chaco,  Pampa  Central, 


Argentina  93 

Neuquen,  Kio  Negro,  Chubut,  Santa  Cruz,  Tierra  del 
Fuego,  and  Los  Andes. 

The  head  of  the  federal  government  is  at  Buenos 
Aires,  while  each  province  has  its  legislature  and  gov- 
ernor, as  in  the  United  States.  The  complaint  is  heard, 
however,  that  the  autonomy  of  the  provinces  is  merely 
nominal,  and  that,  in  reality,  everything  is  managed 
by  Buenos  Aires.  The  head  of  the  federal  government 
is  the  president,  who,  as  well  as  the  vice-president,  is 
elected  for  a  period  of  six  years,  and  is  ineligible  for 
a  second  term  that  would  immediately  follow.  There 
are  eight  cabinet  officers,  namely  of  the  Interior,  of 
Foreign  Affairs  and  Worship,  of  Finance,  of  Justice 
and  Public  Instruction,  of  War,  of  the  Navy,  of  Public 
Works,  and  of  Agriculture. 

As  in  other  countries,  one  hears  complaints  in 
Argentina  of  corruption  in  politics,  and  fraud  in  the 
election.  Votes  are  bought,  and  cases  are  spoken  of 
where  even  the  names  of  dead  persons  were  registered 
for  voting.  Evidently,  political  Argentina  has  not 
yet  reached  the  millennium.  As  a  rule,  the  foreign 
population  takes  little  interest  in  government  affairs, 
which  are  left  entirely  to  the  men  of  the  old  stock, 
who  love  politics.  That  is  where  Argentina  differs 
from  us.  Notwithstanding  this,  however,  men  of  Eng- 
lish, Irish,  and  German  names  have  figured  in  the 
public  life  of  South  America,  especially  in  the  early 
days  of  the  period  of  independence. 

Throughout  South  America,  the  great  parties  are 
those  of  Liberals  and  Conservatives,  the  extreme  lib- 
erals, or  radicals,  being  generally  opposed  to  clerical- 
ism, which  means  to  all  religion,  and  the  latter  favor- 
ing the  Church.  There  are  various  political  shades  in 
Argentina,  such  as  the  Kadicals,   the  Union   Civica, 


94  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

and  the  Mitristas,  to  understand  which  would  re- 
quire an  elaborate,  and,  for  our  purpose,  unnecessary 
study  of  Argentine  politics. 

The  judiciary  of  Argentina  enjoys,  at  present,  quite 
a  good  reputation.  As  with  us,  there  are  federal,  and 
provincial  courts.  The  federal  judges  who  are  named 
by  the  president,  with  the  consent  of  the  senate,  must 
be  lawyers  by  profession.  They  are  irremovable.  The 
federal  courts  are  the  supreme  tribunal,  the  court  of 
appeals,  and  the  lower  court,  besides  judges  of  the 
peace,  and  other  magistrates  for  minor  cases.  The 
provincial  tribunals  are  organized  on  the  same  basis. 

The  Argentine  military  forces  consist  of  the  regu- 
lar army,  the  National  Guard,  and  the  Territorial 
Guard.  Since  1905,  military  service  has  been  obliga- 
tory for  all  Argentinians,  between  the  ages  of  twenty, 
and  forty-five,  that  is  from  twenty  to  thirty  in  the 
service  of  the  regular  army,  between  thirty  and  forty 
in  the  National  Guard,  and,  from  forty  to  forty-five 
in  the  Territorial  Guard.  The  regular  army,  and  the 
National  and  Territorial  Guards  in  the  capital,  and  in 
the  federal  territories,  depend  on  the  central  govern- 
ment of  the  Kepublic,  while,  in  the  provinces,  the 
guards  are  subject  to  the  several  provincial  govern- 
ments. For  the  distribution  of  service,  lots  are  drawn. 
Those  that  draw  the  highest  numbers  serve  in  the 
navy,  then  follows  active  service  in  the  regular  army 
for  one  year,  then  the  reserve,  and,  finally,  the  national 
and  territorial  guards,  according  to  the  numbers 
drawn.  Those  that  complete  their  year  of  active  serv- 
ice, pass  over  to  the  reserve.  The  army  possesses,  also, 
a  certain  number  of  volunteers. 

Excepted  from  military  service  are  persons  pre- 
vented by  physical  defects,  those  upon  whom  the  family 


Argentina  95 

is  dependent,  the  sons  of  certain  public  functionaries, 
and  members  of  the  clergy  of  all  denominations,  as  well 
as  ecclesiastical  students.  It  will  thus  be  seen,  that 
Argentina  is  not  quite  so  advanced  in  this  regard  as 
France,  or  Italy.  Pesons  exempt  from  the  service, 
must,  nevertheless,  compensate  for  their  exemption,  by 
the  payment  of  a  military  tax. 

The  regular  army  numbers  about  twenty  thousand 
in  active  service,  and  some  150,000  in  the  reserve. 
In  the  army,  as  well  as  in  the  navy,  and  the 
police  force,  the  Indian  type  is  very  pronounced,  as 
the  nothern  provinces  furnish  a  large  proportion  of 
the  men. 

There  are  several  military  schools  in  the  Kepublic, 
where  young  men  are  trained  for  various  branches  of 
the  service. 

The  navy,  which  is  the  best  in  South  America,  con- 
sists of  seven  armored,  and  five  unarmored  cruisers, 
twenty  torpedo  boats,  and  six  torpedo  destroyers,  in 
all  thirty-eight  vessels,  besides  an  almost  equal  num- 
ber of  transports,  despatch  boats,  and  other  auxiliar- 
ies. The  navy  is  to  be  increased  by  two  battleships 
of  the  Dreadnought  type,  the  Moreno,  and  the  Riva- 
daviaj  which  are  now  in  process  of  construction  in 
the  United  States,  and  by  fifteen  torpedo  destroyers. 
The  battleships  will  be  each  of  twenty-three  thousand 
tons. 

The  naval  school  in  Buenos  Aires  prepares  lads  for 
the  service,  and  a  fine  schoolship,  tlie  Presidente  Sar- 
miento,  with  its  periodical  cruises,  adds  to  their  prac- 
tical training,  the  course  lasting  five  years. 

On  the  occasion  of  the  centennial  celebrations,  the 
La  Plata  witnessed  one  of  the  finest  naval  demonstra- 
tions ever  made.    Nearly  all  the  great  nations  of  the 


96  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

world  had  sent  their  ships,  Great  Britain  alone  being 
absent,  owing  to  the  recent  death  of  the  king.  In  the 
naval  parade  before  the  government  building  which 
was  opened  by  United  States  sailors,  France,  Ger- 
many, Spain,  Italy,  Austria,  Holland,  Chile,  Uruguay, 
Japan,  and  Argentina  were  represented,  the  long  file 
of  Argentine  seamen  making  a  splendid  impression. 


Chapter  VIII. 
FIEST  DAYS  IN  BUENOS  AIEES. 

Rates  for  Carriages — Hotel  Plaza — Population  of  Buenos  Aires 
— Plan  of  the  City — Rapid  Transit — The  Houses — Names 
of  the  Streets  —  Calle  Florida  —  PostoflSce  —  Telegraph  — 
American  Legation — Plaza  de  Mayo — The  Avenida — The 
Anarchists — Student  Demonstrations — The  Club  del  Pro- 
greso — Palermo  Park — Zoological  Garden  —  An  Argentine 
Breakfast — Museo  Mitre — Hotel  Albion — Opening  of  the 
Congress. 

After  passing  the  customs,  I  engaged  a  cab,  and 
ordered  the  driver  to  take  me  to  the  hotel  Plaza.  Al- 
though the  distance  is  very  short,  my  coachman  de- 
manded three  pesos,  or  about  one  dollar  and  forty-four 
cents,  the  Argentine  peso,  silver,  being  worth  less  than 
fifty  cents  of  our  money.  Carriages  are  very  plentiful, 
and  extensively  used  in  Buenos  Aires,  and  they  are, 
comparatively,  cheap.  My  man  demanded  really  too 
much,  but,  rather  than  have  an  altercation,  I  paid 
the  price  asked,  while  he  comforted  me  with  the  as- 
surance, that  I  could  better  afford  to  pay,  than  he  to 
lose  it.  For  future  use,  I  will  give  you  an  idea  of 
the  rates  established  by  tariff,  although,  djjring  the 
celebrations,  people  were  asking  all  kinds  of  prices. 
Bear  in  mind  the  value  of  the  peso  which  contains  one 
hundred  centavos  or  cents,  and  that  the  prices  here 
given  are  in  Argentine  currency,  silver.  For  a  single 
trip,  not  exceeding  ten  squares  you  pay  fifty  cents,  and, 
for  every  additional  ten  squares,  thirty  cents  more. 
By  the  hour,  a  carriage  will  cost  you  $1.30  for  the  first 

97 


98  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

hour,  one  dollar  for  every  additional  hour,  and  thirty 
cents  for  a  quarter  of  an  hour,  or  less.  For  the  sub- 
urbs of  Belgrano,  Flores,  Palermo,  Chacarlta,  and  the 
Hippodrome,  the  prices  are  higher,  as  two  dollars  will 
be  required  for  the  first,  and  one  dollar  for  every  sub- 
sequent hour,  or  fraction  of  an  hour. 

The  hotel  Plaza,  the  newest  and,  apparently,  the 
best  in  Buenos  Aires,  is  a  large  building  of  some  ten 
stories  or  more,  conducted  on  the  system  of  our  Amer- 
ican hotels,  on  the  European  plan.  English  is  spoken 
in  it  quite  extensively,  from  the  hotel  clerks,  to  the 
chambermaids.  I  was  coolly  informed  that  there  was 
no  room,  as  all  the  available  space  had  been  engaged 
for  the  foreign  admirals.  However,  on  my  promise  to 
leave  the  next  day,  I  was  given  a  small  room  which 
would  have  cost  me  about  a  dollar  and  a  half  in  New 
York,  for  four  dollars  and  a  half.  I  was  fortunate  at 
that,  when  the  prices  of  hotels  and  boarding  houses 
were  doubled  and  trebled,  and  when  I  remember  that 
the  cheapest  cigar  I  could  get  at  the  cafe  down  stairs 
was  a  pesOj  or  fifty-cent  cigar. 

Buenos  Aires  has  now  a  population  of  from  twelve 
to  thirteen  hundred  thousand,  and  it  is  at  present 
one  of  the  four  largest  cities  of  the  New  World.  The 
increase  in  population  will  best  be  appreciated,  when 
we  reflect,  that,  in  1770,  the  inhabitants  of  the  city 
amounted  to  twenty -two  thousand.^  About  a  hundred 
years  later,  the  population  had  nearly  reached  the  two 
hundred  thousand  mark,  advancing  by  leaps  and 
bounds.  The  immense  increase  belongs  to  the  latest 
period. 

The  plan  of  this  city  is  not  unlike  that  of  Boston. 
It  has  grown  from  the  original  rectangular  town,  with 


1  El  Lazarillo  de  Ciegos  Caminantes,  1773. 


First  Days  in  Buenos  Aires  99 

its  narrow  streets,  to  immense  proportions,  drawing 
to  itself  the  outlying  suburbs,  such  as  Belgrano,  Paler- 
mo, and  the  many  villas,  like  Alvear,  Mazzini,  Santa 
Kita,  and  numerous  others.  Washed  on  the  east  by 
the  Rio  de  la  Plata,  it  is  bounded  on  the  south  by  the 
Riachuelo  river,  and  on  the  west  by  the  long  Avenida 
General  Paz  which,  extending  from  the  Riachuelo, 
reaches  the  La  Plata  at  the  northern  point  of  the  city. 
The  streets  of  the  old  town,  built  by  the  Spaniards, 
are  very  narrow.  In  consequence,  the  lines  of  tram- 
ways are  laid,  not  in  the  centre,  but  along  one  side, 
near  the  sidewalks,  so  as  to  leave  room  for  carriages. 
The  streets  cross  each  other  at  rectangles.  This  is 
also  true,  in  the  main,  of  the  various  sections  that 
have  been  added;  but,  as  the  city  has  grown  without 
a  predetermined  plan,  it  gives  the  impression  of  a 
large  patchwork  of  geometrical  figures.  These  are 
crossed  in  all  directions  by  very  long  avenues,  while 
in  the  more  modern  portions  of  the  city,  the  streets 
are  wide  and  spacious,  and  the  car  tracks  are  laid  in 
the  middle. 

From  the  Plaza  de  Mayo,  only  a  stone's  throw 
from  the  docks,  the  beautiful  Avenida  de  Mayo 
leads  to  the  new  Plaza  del  Congreso  in  a  straight  line. 
Directly  north  of  this,  runs  in  the  same  direction, 
Rivadavia  street,  until  it  strikes  toward  the  south- 
west, becoming  the  Avenida  Rivadavia,  and,  passing 
through  the  entire  city,  terminates  at  the  Avenida 
General  Paz,  the  city  limit.  This  Rivadavia  is,  by  its 
length,  one  of  the  most  striking  avenues  of  Buenos 
Aires.  The  city  is  filled  with  Plazas  and  parks,  the 
largest  of  which  is  that  of  Palermo,  in  the  northeast 
section. 


100  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

An  immense  system  of  electric  cars  runs  in  all 
directions,  and,  for  less  than  five  cents,  you  may 
go  to  any  part  of  the  city.  Buenos  Aires  has  not  yet 
adopted  the  elevated  railroad,  but  an  underground 
system  of  railway  is  in  course  of  preparation.  It  is 
not  likely,  that  this  population,  with  its  aesthetic 
sense,  will  ever  agree  to  the  unsightly  and  noisy  ^'ele- 
vated," but  the  "subway"  system  must  be  introduced, 
the  immense  increase  of  the  population  rendering  some 
form  of  rapid  transit  absolutely  necessary. 

The  cars,  as  in  Montevideo,  carry  large  num- 
erals, that  can  be  seen  at  a  distance  which,  to 
the  initiated,  indicate  the  route  followed.  If  stand- 
ing at  a  street  corner,  you  signal  to  the  con- 
ductor to  stop,  and  he  pays  no  heed  to  you, 
look  to  the  top  of  the  car,  and  you  will  see 
the  sign  completo,  which  means  that  every  seat 
is  taken.  No  one  is  permitted  to  stand  within  the 
car,  and  only  a  limited  number  may  do  so  on  the  rear 
platform.  On  account  of  the  immense  crowds,  an 
exception  was  made  during  the  centennial  celebration, 
and  the  cars  were  often  crowded  to  their  utmost  capa- 
city, with  people  hanging  on  to  the  straps,  and  stand- 
ing on  the  steps,  as  they  do  with  us.  After  you  have 
paid  your  fare,  the  conductor  will  give  you  a  little 
ticket.  Keep  it,  for  it  is  intended  to  serve  as  a  receipt, 
and  it  must  be  exhibited  to  the  inspector  on  demand. 

The  houses  in  Buenos  Aires  are,  as  a  rule,  quite  low, 
even  two  stories  being  of  comparatively  recent  date. 
Yet  the  modern  system  is  beginning  to  prevail,  and  the 
skyscraper  shows  an  inclination  to  develop,  as,  for 
instance,  in  the  Plaza  hotel.  Along  the  water  front, 
you  will  notice  a  considerable  number  of  high  grain 
elevators.  The  architectural  features  of  the  city  are 
Spanish  and  French.     In  fact,  Buenos  Aires  reminds 


First  Days  in  Buenos  Aires  101 

one  greatly  of  Paris.  American  influence  is  seen  only 
in  some  of  the  large  new  buildings  in  which  the  steel 
frame  work,  imported  from  the  United  States,  tells 
us  of  home.  The  old  Spanish  stamp  is  still  found, 
however,  in  spite  of  modem  improvements,  and  there 
is  no  lack  of  barred  windows  and  patios. 

Argentina  has  adopted  an  excellent  means  of  pre- 
serving, and  popularizing  the  great  events,  and  prom- 
inent names,  not  only  of  her  own  history,  but  of 
that  of  the  world,  in  the  names  of  her  streets  and 
squares,  which  serve  as  an  abiding  object  lesson.  The 
system  exists,  also,  in  other  countries  of  South  Amer- 
ica, like  Chile,  and  Peru,  but  it  is  especially  striking 
in  Buenos  Aires. 

Almagro,  Alvar  Nunez,  Balboa,  are  names  that  re- 
call colonial  history,  while  San  Martin,  Bartolom^ 
Mitre,  Kivadavia,  and  many  more  keep  fresh  the 
memory  of  Argentina's  patriots,  among  illustrious 
names  several  of  distinguished  Churchmen  figuring 
as  well,  like  the  priests,  Anchoris,  and  Araoz,  and 
the  bishops,  Arregui  and  Azamor.  Ayacucho,  Cachi- 
mayo,  Cangallo,  Kio  Bamba  recall  victories  or  sacri- 
fices of  the  war  of  independence.  Some  names,  like 
Estados  Unidos,  California,  Panama,  Callao,  Lima, 
Paramaribo,  are  merely  geographical,  while  others 
remind  one  of  great  men  of  other  nations,  such  as 
Monroe,  Pasteur,  and  Byron.  Buenos  Aires  has,  also, 
its  Washington  street.^ 

One  of  the  most  interesting  streets,  located  in  the 
original  portion  of  the  city,  is  the  calle  Florida,  ex- 
tending from  the  Plaza  de  San  Martin  to  the  Avenida 
de  Mayo,  and  becoming  Peru  on  the  other  side  of  the 
Avenida.    This  is  the  great  promenade  of  the  people 


2  Razon  del  Nombre  de  las  calles,  etc.,  Adolfo  J.  Carranza. 


102  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

of  Buenos  Aires.  In  the  late  afternoon  it  is  crowded, 
like  the  calle  de  Alcald  in  Madrid,  or  the  Kalver 
street  in  Amsterdam.  So  great  is  the  throng  which 
extends  the  entire  width  of  the  street,  no  attention 
being  paid  to  sidewalks,  that  carriages  cease  to  run. 
In  fact,  it  would  be  impossible  for  them  to  pass.  Dur- 
ing the  festivities,  the  "Florida"  was  a  dream  of 
beauty,  vieing  with  the  Avenida  by  its  myriad  electric 
lights,  that,  stretching  across  the  entire  street,  actu- 
ally formed  a  canopy  of  brightness. 

In  San  Martin  street,  you  will  find  the  caja  de  con- 
version, where  worn  out  notes  are  exchanged  for  new, 
and  foreign  money  for  Argentine  currency.  To  judge 
from  the  number  of  people,  a  great  deal  of  business 
must  be  done  here.  One  of  our  five  dollar  gold  pieces 
was  not  accepted,  because  it  was  found  slightly  de- 
ficient in  weight. 

The  PostofiBcc,  which  a  visitor  must  needs  find  at 
once,  is  located  |at  the  corner  of  Corrientes,  and  Rec- 
onquista  streets.  It  is  hardly  in  keeping  with  a  large 
city  like  Buenos  Aires,  either  by  its  size  or  its  general 
appearance,  at  least  when  we  compare  it  with  the 
elaborate  buildings  that  our  government  is  erecting 
all  over  the  country.  The  service,  however,  is  said,  in 
some  respects,  to  be  superior  to  ours.  Mail  for  the 
United  States  is  forwarded,  as  soon  as  possible,  by  the 
quickest  route,  but  the  Argentinians  complain  that 
the  same  efficiency  does  not  prevail  as  regards  letters 
going  from  the  United  States  to  Argentina.  It  takes 
almost  two  months  to  receive  an  answer  to  a  letter 
sent  from  Washington  to  Buenos  Aires.  The  Post- 
office  in  Argentina  is  a  government  institution,  under 
the  minister  of  the  interior. 


First  Days  in  Buenos  Aires  103 

The  telegraph  is  controlled  by  the  government,  but 
without  a  monopoly,  as  some  lines  belong  to  the 
provinces,  and  others  to  railways.  Cables  are  oper- 
ated by  the  Central  and  South  American  Telegraph 
Company,  which  sends  its  messages  to  the  United 
States  and  Europe,  via  Colon  and  Galveston.  Rates 
to  the  United  States  are  a  dollar  a  word,  including 
address  and  signature.  You  may  deposit  your  cable- 
gram at  a  government  office,  whence  it  will  be  trans- 
mitted to  the  cable  company,  the  office  of  which  is  at 
the  corner  of  San  Martin  and  Cuyo  streets.  In  direct- 
ing a  cablegram  to  Baltimore,  I  had  omitted  to  add 
Maryland,  never  dreaming  that  any  other  Baltimore 
could  be  taken  for  ours.  Happening  to  drop  in  at 
the  office,  some  time  later,  I  found  that  I  was  just 
in  time  to  prevent  the  message  from  being  sent  to  a 
Baltimore,  somewhere  in  the  British  Isles.  It  should 
be  noticed,  that  "Baltimore,  Maryland,"  counts  as  one 
word.  I  found  the  service  otherwise  excellent.  Not 
receiving  a  reply,  I  began  to  doubt  whether  my  mes- 
sage had  been  delivered.  The  company  then  cabled 
to  Baltimore,  without  extra  charge,  and  notified  me 
at  my  hotel  of  the  safe  arrival  of  the  message. 

The  afternoon  of  my  first  day  in  Buenos  Aires  was 
spent  in  driving,  the  assistant  secretary  of  our  Con- 
gress, SeJQor  Santillana  Velez,  having  kindly  placed 
himself  at  my  disposal.  Our  first  visit  was  paid  to 
the  American  Legation,  where  I  met  with  a  most 
courteous  reception  on  the  part  of  our  minister,  Mr. 
Sherrill.  Whatever  may  have  been  the  experience 
of  others,  I  must  say  that,  in  my  travels,  both  in 
Europe  and  America,  I  have  never  found  anything 
but  courtesy  and  kindness  on  the  part  of  our  repre- 
sentatives.    The   United   States   legation   is  situated 


104  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

on  the  Plaza  San  Martin,  diagonally  opposite  the 
Plaza  Hotel,  and  only  a  short  distance  from  the  docks. 
Mr.  Sherrill  is  deservedly  popular  among  Argentin- 
ians, having  done  much  to  increase  esteem  for  the 
United  States. 

Taking  the  Plaza  San  Martin  as  a  starting  point, 
we  drive  south,  along  the  Calle  San  Martin,  a  dis- 
tance of  ten  squares,  and  find  ourselves  in  the  Plaza 
de  Mayo,  which  to  Buenos  Aires  is  what  the  Puerta 
del  Sol  is  to  Madrid.  We  shall,  again  and  again, 
resort  to  the  Plaza  de  Mayo,  but  while  we  are  here 
this  afternoon,  before  the  great  rush  of  the  celebra- 
tion begins,  we  may  as  well  make  a  study  of  it.  At 
one  time,  it  was  known  as  the  Plaza  Victoria,  but 
the  present  name  recalls  the  most  important  event  in 
the  history  of  the  Republic,  the  cry  for  independence 
of  May,  1810. 

As  we  enter  the  Plaza,  and  turn  to  the  left,  the 
first  building  that  attracts  our  attention  is  a  massive 
edifice  of  Grecian  style,  the  Cathedral  of  the  Holy 
Trinity,  to  which  we  return,  on  another  occasion. 

Following  the  calle  Rivadavia  in  front  of  the  cathe- 
dral, and  the  archbishop's  residence,  we  reach  the 
eastern  side  of  the  Plaza  where,  on  the  calle  Balcarce, 
stands  the  Palacio  del  Gubierno,  or  the  government 
building,  a  fine  edifice  in  the  Renaissance  style.  It  is 
the  official  headquarters  of  the  president  and  of  the 
executive  department.  The  large  reception  hall  of 
the  palace  is  especially  noteworthy.  On  May  25,  the 
president,  and  many  dignitaries  reviewed  the  mili- 
tary and  naval  parade  from  its  balconies. 

From  this  modern  building,  the  seat  of  the  present 
government,  we  turn  to  another,  at  the  southwest 
corner  of  the  square.     It  is  the  building  of  the  Cah- 


PLAZA    DE    MAYO,    BUENOS    AIRES 


First  Days  in  Buenos  Aires  105 

ildo,  which,  in  colonial  times,  was  a  kind  of  civil  gov- 
ernment. This  is  the  Independence  Hall  of  Buenos 
Aires,  for  it  was  here,  that,  on  May  25,  1810,  the 
junta  was  named  that  put  an  end  to  the  government 
of  the  viceroys,  and  established  the  independence  of 
the  country.  From  the  balcony,  Don  Cornelio  Saa- 
vedra  addressed  the  multitude  in  the  Plaza  de  la 
Victoria,  exhorting  them  to  unity. 

From  the  Plaza,  we  may  now  proceed  along  the 
beautiful  Avenida  Mayo,  as  far  as  the  Plaza  del  Con- 
greso.  As  you  drive  along,  you  will  observe  a  num- 
ber of  hotels,  such  as  the  Paris,  the  Splendid  Hotel 
Frascati,  and  the  Majestic.  The  government  has 
rented  the  last  named  to  entertain  the  foreign  dele- 
gates to  the  centennial  celebration,  for  Argentina  does 
things  in  grand  style.  We  now  return  to  the  Plaza 
Hotel,  to  rest;  for,  after  dinner,  there  is  to  be  a  re- 
ception to  the  Americanists  at  the  Cluh  del  Progreso 
on  the  Avenida. 

Before  proceeding  to  the  Club,  we  take  a  walk 
through  some  of  the  streets.  Darkness  has  now  en- 
compassed the  city,  and  myriads  of  electric  lights  are 
pouring  forth  their  radiance  on  the  great  thorough- 
fares. Suddenly  we  hear  a  loud  noise  on  the  Plaza 
San  Martin,  with  shouting  and  singing,  then  a  body 
of  men  emerge  from  the  darkness.  These  are  the 
students.  Day  after  day,  and  night  after  night,  they 
will  parade  the  city,  following  the  blue  and  white  flag 
of  their  country,  and  singing  patriotic  songs,  forcing 
those  they  meet  to  uncover  in  presence  of  the  flag. 
What  does  it  all  mean?  The  students  are  making 
a  demonstration  against  the  anarchists,  of  which 
there  is  a  large  number  in  Buenos  Aires.  Some  time 
before  the  festivities  began,  these  had  shown  signs  of 


106  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

activity,  and  an  intention  to  disturb  the  celebration. 
Notices  were  sent  by  them  to  the  schools,  that  the 
Argentine  colors  would  be  torn  from  those  who  would 
dare  to  wear  them.  In  defiance  of  these  threats,  the 
students  are  manifesting  their  patriotism.  They  even 
came  into  conflict  with  the  enemy,  by  burning  an  anar- 
chist newspaper  office,  and,  in  one  collision,  several 
lives  were  lost.  We  learned  all  this  by  rumor,  for  the 
newspapers,  by  superior  direction  no  doubt,  published 
nothing. 

The  government  was  not  slow  to  act,  and  Buenos 
Aires  was  placed  in  a  state  of  siege  which,  on  the  sur- 
face, could  not  be  noticed,  for  it  meant  merely,  that 
the  habeas  corpus  was  suspended,  and  that  suspicious 
persons  might  be  arrested  without  warrant.  A  large 
number  of  arrests  were,  in  consequence,  made,  and 
the  tranquility  of  the  city  was  preserved. 

The  anarchists  had  been  making  capital  of  the  dis- 
content of  the  laboring  classes,  at  the  high  rents  pre- 
vailing, as  well  as  of  the  dissatisfaction  of  the  foreign 
element  at  the  ley  de  residencia,  or  law  of  residence, 
which  permits  the  transportation  of  undesirable  for- 
eigners. This  general  discontent  has,  of  late,  shown 
itself  in  frequent  strikes,  Buenos  Aires  now  facing  the 
same  economic  problems  as  the  rest  of  the  world. 

The  fear  of  the  anarchists  prevailed  to  such  an 
extent,  that  dreading  a  repetition  of  the  Barcelona 
honors,  some  religious  houses  were  preparing  for 
defence,  and  resistance.  Among  others,  the  convent 
of  the  Ladies  of  the  Sacred  Heart  is  protected  with 
double  iron  doors,  and  similar  precautions  have  been 
taken  elsewhere. 

The  student  parades  continued  until  after  the  great 
celebrations,  which  lasted  about  a  week,  nearly  all 


AVBNIDA  DE   MAYO_,  BUENOS  AIRES 


First  Days  in  Buenos  Aires  107 

business  being  suspended  for  several  days.  During 
that  time,  and  long  afterward,  the  city  was  most 
beautifully  decorated  with  flags,  those  of  Argentina 
and  Spain  being  especially  numerous.  Italy,  France 
and  other  countries,  including  some  British,  and  an 
occasional  American  flag,  were,  also,  represented. 

For  some  days,  there  was  strong  feeling  against 
Brazil  which  did  not  send  a  representative  to  the 
festivities,  until  the  last  moment.  It  became  so  inten- 
sified, that  the  students,  taking  matters  into  their 
own  hands,  sent  delegations  to  the  houses  that  had 
hoisted  the  Brazilian  flag,  with  a  demand  that  it  be 
taken  down.  In  several  instances,  that  came  under 
my  notice,  the  demand  was  complied  with. 

A  very  pretty  parade  that  was  held  one  Sunday 
morning  along  the  Avenida  was  one  of  boys  and  girls, 
led  by  young  women  with  flags. 

The  national  hymn  of  Argentina  which  was  heard 
so  frequently  during  these  days,  begins  thus: 

Oid,  mortales,  el  grito  sagrado 

Libeitad,    libertad,   lihertad, 
Oid  el  ruido  de  rotas  cadetMs, 

Ved  e%  trono  a  la  noble  igualdad^ 

8e  levanta  a  la  faz  de  la  tierra 

Una  nueva  gloriosa  nacion 
Coronada  su  cien  de  laureles 

Y  a  aus  plantas  rendido  un  lean. 

Come,   mortals,   hear  the  sacred  strains, 

The  song  of  liberty, 
While  broken  fall  the  captive's  chains, 

And  reigns  equality. 

Mankind  beholds  a  nation  rise 

Humanity  to  greet, 
Its  laurels  lifted  to  the  skies, 

A  lion  at  its  feet. 


108  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

The  reception  at  the  Club  del  Progreso  was  a  bril- 
liant affair.  Intellectual  Argentina  had  sent  some 
of  its  best  representatives,  whose  names  I  will  not 
mention  lest  I  omit  any,  and  from  Europe  and  the 
other  American  countries  had  come  men  with  an 
international  reputation  as  Americanists.  These 
Americanist  gatherings  have  the  advantage  of  renew- 
ing old  friendships,  and  of  creating  new  ones,  but 
there  is,  also,  an  element  of  deep  sadness  in  them;  for 
past  years  rise  up  before  you,  and,  in  the  throng, 
you  look  for  old,  familiar  faces,  only  to  be  reminded, 
that  they  have  vanished  forever.  Of  all  the  large 
numbers  that  had  attended  the  congress  at  Huelva  in 
1892,  I  can  only  recall  three  or  four  persons  that 
were  at  Buenos  Aires,  namely  the  illustrious  Ameri- 
canist, Dr.  Seler,  of  Berlin,  with  his  inseparable  com- 
panion, Mrs.  Seler,  and  Dr.  Cordier,  of  Paris. 

There  was  a  man  present,  to  meet  whom  I  would 
have  been  willing  to  undertake  the  voyage  to  South 
America.  Many,  and  many  an  interesting  hour  I 
had  spent  with  his  books,  and  it  was  a  most  glad  sur- 
prise to  shake  his  hand  at  this  gathering.  I  speak  of 
Jos6  Toribio  Medina  of  Chile,  that  indefatigable 
worker,  probably  the  most  voluminous  bibliographer 
that  ever  lived.  With  several  other  gentlemen,  he  was 
representing  the  government  of  Chile  at  this  Inter- 
national Congress.  We  shall  meet  him  again  at  San- 
tiago. 

Besides  myself,  there  was  only  one  priest  at  this 
gathering,  namely  the  distinguished  writer,  Mon- 
signor  Toscano,  Vicar  General  of  Salta,  and  only  two 
priests  attended  the  Congress  as  Americanists.  In 
fact,  as  I  look  over  the  past,  I  can  recall  very  few 
clergymen  among  our  members.     I  cannot  remember 


First  Days  in  Buenos  Aires  109 

a  single  Protestant  minister  at  any  of  the  sessions  I 
have  attended.  At  Buenos  Aires,  the  Kussian  priest 
represented  his  country,  though  I  am  not  aware,  that 
he  took  an  active  part  in  the  proceedings.  He  was 
present  in  his  regalia  at  the  solemn  opening,  but  I 
did  not  see  him  afterward,  though  I  may  have  over- 
looked him.  The  only  place  where  I  can  say  that  the 
clergy  was  well  represented  was  the  city  of  Quebec, 
where  the  Congress  met,  some  years  since,  under  the 
auspices  of  the  University  of  Laval.  Otherwise,  only 
a  few  names  occur  to  me,  such  as  of  the  late  Dr. 
Mariano  Soler,  Archbishop  of  Montevideo,  that  well- 
known  Americanist  Dr.  Plancarte,  now  a  bishop  in 
Mexico,  Monsignor  Shahan,  rector  of  the  Catholic 
University  of  America,  and  the  celebrated  Jesuit, 
Father  Fischer  of  Feldkirche  in  Austria.  I  know 
that  there  were  others,  but  I  cannot  recall  them  now. 

I  have  often  thought  it  a  pity  that  we  do  not  take  a 
greater  interest  in  the  development  of  modern  sci- 
ence. Instead  of  contenting  ourselves  with  bemoaning 
the  decadence  of  faith,  and  the  increase  of  infidelity, 
and  sitting  upon  the  ruins  of  Jerusalem,  singing  the 
Lamentations,  we  might  usefully  spring  into  the 
breach,  as  our  great  predecessors,  whom  we  call  the 
Fathers  of  the  Church,  used  to  do. 

With  this  reception  at  the  Club  del  Progreso,  the 
courtesies  of  which  were  extended  to  us  during  our 
stay,  the  first  day  in  Buenos  Aires  came  to  an  end. 
I  had  ample  opportunity  to  appreciate  the  culture 
and  good  manners  of  the  gentlemen  present.  The 
forms  of  these  receptions  are,  more  or  less,  the  same 
as  in  cultured  circles  all  over  the  world.  Two  things, 
however,  strike  you  in  Argentina,  namely  the  Cham- 
pagne  bottle,   and   the  camera.      Champagne    flows 


110  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

freely  at  every  reception,  though  many  present  only 
sip  at  their  glass.  This  is  the  only  thing  to  do,  if 
having  to  attend  five  or  six  receptions  on  the  same 
day,  you  wish  to  keep  a  clear  head.  It  is  evident, 
that  a  good  deal  of  money  is  spent  at  these  receptions, 
but  the  Argentinians  who  make  it  easily,  spend  it 
freely.  Whatever  their  vices  may  be,  and  all  nations 
have  vices,  parsimony  is  not  one  of  them. 

The  camera  too  is  generally  on  hand,  being  found 
even  at  private  receptions  and  dinner  parties.  The 
illustrated  periodicals,  such  as  Caras  y  Caretas,  fill 
their  pages  with  illustrations,  containing  portraits  of 
individuals. 

Bidding  good-night  to  our  friends,  we  return  to 
the  hotel  where  a  good  rest,  after  a  fatiguing  day, 
will  prepare  us  for  another  round  of  sightseeing  on 
the  morrow. 

The  16th  of  May  found  me  prepared  to  accompany 
the  Americanists  on  their  automobile  excursion  to 
the  suburbs.  As  I  have  before  remarked,  in  Latin 
countries,  nothing  is  taken  in  the  early  morning,  ex- 
cept a  little  bread  and  butter,  and  a  cup  of  coffee  or 
chocolate.  You  may  ring  the  bell  and  have  this  repast 
brought  to  your  room  in  the  South  American  hotels 
generally,  without  extra  charge,  or  you  may  go  to  the 
dining  room.  At  the  Plaza,  I  followed  the  latter 
method.  My  "desayuno^^  which  really  means  break- 
fast, in  other  words,  my  coffee  and  bread  and  butter 
cost  me  one  peso,  or  about  fifty  cents.  In  Buenos 
Aires,  they  speak  of  the  early  morning  repast  also 
as  cafe  con  leche,  coffee  with  milk,  but  frequently  it 
should  be  styled  milk  with  coffee,  for  I  have  noticed, 
that  if  you  let  the  waiter  serve  you,  he  will  give  you 
about  two-thirds  milk,  and  one-third,  or  les's,  of  coffee. 


First  Days  in  Buenos  Aires  111 

Yet,  with  good,  rich  milk,  and  good,  warm  coffee,  you 
will  have  a  delicious  morning  beverage. 

It  was  now  the  middle  of  May,  and  quite  cool,  as 
it  might  be  about  the  middle  of  November  in  our 
southeastern  states.  Yet  I  ventured  out,  without  an 
overcoat.  It  may  have  been  this  which  brought  on 
me  a  most  severe  cold,  that  caused  me  great  incon- 
venience the  first  week  in  Buenos  Aires. 

The  hotel  Albion,  on  the  Avenida  Mayo,  had  been 
assigned  to  us,  as  the  Americanist  headquarters.  Here 
we  were  the  guests  of  Argentina.  This  was  the  first 
time  in  my  Americanist  experiences  that  our  hotel 
bills  were  paid  for  us ;  but,  I  repeat.  South  Americans 
are  generous.  Later  in  the  day,  I  moved  from  the 
Plaza  to  the  Albion.  At  nine,  we  met  on  the  Avenida 
before  our  hotel,  and  automobiles  were  assigned  to  the 
separate  parties.    Our  excursion  took  us  to  Palermo. 

This  suburb,  if  such  it  may  be  called,  as  it  is 
really  an  integral  part  of  the  city,  is  situated  in  the 
northeast  section,  where  the  Cordoba  railway  sepa- 
rates it  from  the  Rio  de  La  Plata.  Directly  south- 
west lies  the  beautiful  district  of  Belgrano,  where  so 
many  of  the  English  speaking  residents  reside.  The 
quarter  of  Palermo  is  made  up  of  a  series  of  beauti- 
ful parks,  and  driveways.  First,  there  is  the  Paler- 
mo, or  Third  of  February  Park,  to  the  south  of  which 
lies  the  zoological  garden.  West  and  southwest,  are 
the  famous  race  courses,  the  Hipodromo  Argentina, 
and  the  Sociedad  Hipica,  at  which,  during  the  races, 
Argentine  society  may  be  observed  en  masse.  Further 
to  the  west,  along  the  river,  you  will  not  fail  to  see 
the  spacious  grounds  of  the  Argentine  golf  club,  with 
beautiful  driveways,  and  the  lake  in  the  centre.  Still 
more  to  the  northwest,  about  eight  squares  from  the 


112  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

grounds  of  the  golf  club,  the  very  large  National 
hipodrome,  or  Hipodromo  Nacional  offers  the  pleas- 
ure of  the  races  to  thousands  of  Argentinians.  As 
you  drive  through  Palermo  Park,  you  will,  probably, 
also  notice   the   cricket   club   almost  in   the   centre. 

The  grounds  which,  particularly,  deserve  our  atten- 
tion are  those  of  the  zoological  garden.  We  have  left 
our  automobiles,  and,  to  go  from  one  part  of  the 
garden  to  the  other,  we  shall  make  use  of  a  small 
railway  running  through  it,  for  the  convenience  of 
the  public,  and  moved  by  a  naptha  engine.  Unless 
you  have  some  one  to  enlighten  you,  as  the  Ameri- 
canists had,  it  would  be  well  to  provide  yourself  with 
a  copy  of  the  ^^Guia  OficiaV^  of  the  zoological  garden 
which  is  distributed  gratuitously.  The  director, 
Senor  Clemente  Onelli,  also  publishes  the  "Bevista 
del  Jardin  Zoologico/^  patronized  by  the  municipal- 
ity of  Buenos  Aires.  This  quarterly  furnishes  im- 
portant data  regarding  the  progress  of  the  Buenos 
Aires  "Zoo." 

The  "Garden"  owes  its  origin  to  President  Sar- 
miento  who,  in  1874,  presented  to  Congress  the  pro- 
ject of  a  law  for  the  establishment  of  the  "Third 
of  February"  park,  to  which  the  zoological  garden 
became  an  adjunct.  The  first  animals  were  donated 
by  Sarmiento,  in  the  shape  of  three  swans.  Other 
donations  following,  the  garden  increased,  until,  in 
1888,  the  park,  with  its  "Zoo,"  was  given  to  the  muni- 
cipality, and  the  "Garden"  was  separately  organized. 

From  1893  on,  the  public  became  more  and  more 
interested,  until,  in  1897,  1,135,730  persons  were  ad- 
mitted as  visitors,  almost  as  many  as  the  whole  pres- 
ent population  of  the  city.  The  price  of  admission 
is  very  little,  being  less  than  five  cents  of  our  money. 


First  Days  in  Buenos  Aires  113 

Besides  the  naptha  train,  originally  intended  for  chil- 
dren, there  are  small  carriages,  ponies,  llamas,  and 
camels  which  may  be  obtained,  at  prices  established 
by  tariff.  Kefreshments  are  served,  in  the  Aquila 
Pavilion,  and,  on  Sundays,  Thursdays,  and  Saturdays, 
visitors  may  enjoy  a  band  of  music  furnished  alter- 
nately by  the  minister  of  war,  by  the  electric  com- 
panies that  run  their  cars  to  the  garden  which  has 
four  entrances,  and  by  the  chief  of  police. 

Besides  a  fine  collection  of  animals,  like  those 
found  in  all  important  zoological  gardens,  such  as 
lions,  Bengal  tigers,  elephants,  hippopotami,  bears, 
and  other  varieties  of  wild,  as  well  as  of  domestic 
species,  the  garden  may  boast  of  a  considerable  num- 
ber, indigenous  to  the  New  World,  especially  to  South 
America. 

Prominent  among  these  is  the  American  jaguar  or 
leopard  which  is  found  from  the  southern  part  of 
North  America  to  northern  Argentina.  One  of  the 
beasts  at  Buenos  Aires  has  a  bad  reputation,  for  he 
is  known  to  have  killed  a  woman,  an  Indian,  and  two 
children.  Several  species  of  wild  cats,  notably  the 
very  rare  eyra  and  yaguarandi  are  also  found  here, 
besides  the  puma,  or  American  lion,  which  lives  from 
North  America  to  the  straits  of  Magellan.  Here  too 
is  the  Argentine  carpinchOj  the  largest  rodent  in  the 
world,  with  the  Patagonian  rabbit,  quite  a  rare  speci- 
men. South  America,  particularly  in  Argentina, 
possesses  more  rodents  than  any  other  portion  of  the 
globe.  The  family  of  American  toothless  animals, 
such  as  anteaters,  is  abundantly  represented,  while  a 
study  of  their  habits  is  made  by  means  of  the  cine- 
matograph. Among  them,  the  sloth,  belonging  to 
Brazil  and  Guiana,  is  of  especial  interest  to  the  vis- 


114  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

itor.  Add  to  these  the  various  kinds  of  American 
monkeys  and  other  quadrupeds.  The  cameloids  of 
South  America,  such  as  the  guanaco,  the  llama,  the 
alpaca,  and  the  vicuna  deserve  special  attention.  The 
guanaco  is  found  in  great  abundance  in  Patagonia 
and  Tierra  del  Fuego,  where  it  is  killed  for  its  wool, 
generally  when  a  month  old,  to  the  extent  of  two  hun- 
dred thousand  a  year.  The  llama  belongs,  as  is  well 
known,  to  the  highlands  of  Bolivia  and  Peru.  To  the 
same  regions  belong  the  vicunas  and  alpacas,  the 
latter  of  which  is  valuable  for  its  wool,  having  given 
its  name  to  a  well-known  cloth. 

To  the  bird  species  belong  the  jahiru  of  Paraguay, 
a  storklike  bird,  the  American  ostrich,  found  so  plen- 
tifully in  Argentina,  and  the  condor  of  the  Andes. 
The  best,  and  rarest  bird  in  the  pavillion  of  birds  of 
prey,  is  the  South  American  harpy,  the  only  speci- 
men, thus  far,  kept  alive  in  the  zoological  gardens  of 
the  world,  and,  consequently,  unique.  It  was  caught 
on  the  frontiers  of  Bolivia  and  Brazil,  whither  it  had 
been  driven  by  a  strong  north  wind.  Its  home  is  in 
the  mountains  of  Brazil.  When,  in  anger  it  ruffles 
its  feathers,  the  head  assumes  features  almost  human, 
thus  explaining  the  origin  of  the  mythological  harpy, 
with  the  face  of  an  ugly  woman. 

The  zoological  garden  of  Buenos  Aires  was  very 
fortunate  in  obtaining  fourteen  most  rare  specimens 
of  the  royal  penguin,  the  fishlike  bird  of  Patagonia, 
which  has  never  figured  alive  in  any  zoological  col- 
lection, as  it  is  very  difficult  to  preserve  it  in  cap- 
tivity, and  it  has  not  been  able  to  live,  thus  far, 
in  the  temperate  zone.  Those  in  Buenos  Aires  are 
from  the  islands  of  South  Georgia.  It  took  two  years 
to  bring  them  to  their  destination. 


PAVILLION    FOR   ZEBUS,   ZOOLOGICAL   GARDENS,,   BUENOS   AIRES 


First  Days  in  Buenos  Aires  115 

Add  to  the  animals  I  have  mentioned,  the  various 
species  of  the  reptile  world,  and  you  will  form  an 
idea  of  the  collection  of  American  animals  possessed 
by  the  zoological  garden  of  Buenos  Aires. 

Besides  the  value  of  the  collection  itself,  the  garden 
is  intensely  attractive  from  the  general  appearance 
of  the  grounds,  with  their  fine  walks,  and  from  the 
architecture  of  the  buildings.  There  is  an  aesthetic 
touch  about  it  all,  with  pavillions  most  beautiful,  and 
appropriate.  T^ake,  for  instance,  the  home  of  the 
lions  which  is  a  Eenaissance  building,  like  the  lion 
house  at  Breslau,  but  larger.  The  residence  of  the 
elephants,  designed  by  the  municipal  architect,  Seiior 
Virgilio  Cestari,  is  a  copy  of  the  temple  of  a  god- 
dess of  India  of  the  period  of  Kajah  Tirumal.  The 
statues,  bas  reliefs,  and  inscriptions  within  are  taken 
from  the  most  celebrated  religious  monuments  of  the 
land  of  the  Ganges.  The  condors  are  kept  in  an  im- 
mense cage  of  iron,  the  summit  of  which  can  be  seen 
from  Belgrano,  or  from  any  high  building  of  the  city, 
but  which  appears  so  light  and  ethereal,  that  you 
would  imagine  you  could  blow  it  over.  A  portion  of 
a  building  in  the  Moorish  style  is  set  aside  for  the 
giraffes,  and  the  other  portions  belong  to  the  zebras. 
The  female  buffalo,  Torita,  born  in  Montana,  United 
States,  presumably  the  Yellowstone  Park,  lives  in  an 
elegant  little  dwelling  with  two  towers.  Her  com- 
panion, sent  by  Mr.  Frank  Baker  of  the  Washing- 
ton "Zoo,"  died,  unfortunately,  on  his  arrival,  and 
Torita  was  left  alone. 

I  would  consume  too  much  space,  were  I  to  dwell 
on  all  the  elegant  buildings  of  this  beautiful  spot. 
What  I  have  written  should,  at  least,  give  an  idea, 
of  the  zoological  garden  of  Buenos  Aires,  which  is, 
certainly,  one  of  the  finest  adornments  of  the  city. 


116  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

After  a  light  refection,  provided  for  us  at  the 
garden,  we  were  driven  home,  having  certainly  en- 
joyed the  fine  excursion  in  this  magnificent  city  of 
the  southern  hemisphere,  and  the  delightful  compan- 
ionship of  our  fellow  Americanists. 

The  languages  heard  most  on  this  excursion,  after 
Spanish,  were  German  and  French,  as  a  considerable 
number  of  the  foreign  delegates  spoke  the  former  as 
their  mother-tongue,  and  the  latter  is  a  universal 
language.  A  great  deal  of  French  is  spoken  in  Buenos 
Aires,  and  it  is  safe  to  say  that  persons  of  any  edu- 
cation all  understand  it.  You  will  find  English  and 
German  especially  in  commercial  circles,  while  Ital- 
ian is  everywhere,  although  the  immigrants  from 
Italy  seem  to  adapt  themselves  very  well  to  the  lan- 
guage of  the  country. 

Breakfast  was  taken  at  our  hotel.  The  Plaza  will 
serve  you  d  la  carte,  if  you  wish,  but,  as  a  rule,  in 
the  real  South  American  hotels,  talle  d'hote  meals 
are  served,  breakfast  taking  place  between  eleven  and 
one,  and  dinner  in  the  evening.  According  to  Argen- 
tine custom,  the  first  course  at  breakfast  consists  of 
cold  meats.  The  menu  of  a  breakfast  given  to  the 
Americanists  by  the  University  of  La  Plata,  at  the 
Hotel  Sportsman,  may  serve  as  an  example  of  such 
a  meal.  At  a  hotel  you,  of  course,  pay  extra  for 
wines  and  cigars: 

Hors   D'Oeuvres 

Viande  froide  Panache   (cold  meat) 

Sauteme  Salade  Russe 

Potage    (Soup) 

Julienne 

Poisson    (Fish) 

Chateau  La  Rose  Filet  de  Sole  Normande 


First  Days  in  Buenos  Aires  117 

Entries 


Filet    Durham    Richelieu 

Villeroy  au  petit  pois  frais  Parisienne 

Roti 


Dindonneau   Broche  au   Cresson 
Entremets 


Gateaux  de  Nolx 

Fruits  assortis 

Champagne  Caf6 

Cliquot  Cigars 

In  the  afternoon  of  the  day  on  which  we  visited 
the  zoological  park,  we  met  by  special  invitation  at 
the  ^'Museo  Mitre"'  in  the  Calle  San  Martin.  This 
museum  is  thus  called  because  it  is  established  in 
the  house  occupied  by  Bartolome  Mitre,  the  contents 
of  which  are  kept,  more  or  less,  as  they  were  in  his 
life  time,  together  with  his  library. 

Bartolom6  Mitre  was,  surely,  one  of  the  great  states- 
men and  literateurs  of  South  America.  His  name  ia, 
perhaps,  heard  more  than  that  of  any  other  Argen- 
tinian, except  San  Martin  who  was  the  Washington 
of  Argentina. 

Mitre  was  born  at  Buenos  Aires  in  1821,  and,  from 
his  teens,  he  began  the  double  career  of  soldier  and 
writer.  Until  1852,  he  led  a  life  of  many  vicissitudes 
in  Bolivia,  Chile,  and  Peru,  returning,  finally,  to 
take  an  active  part  in  the  affairs  of  his  country. 
When  the  dissensions  between  Buenos  Aires  and  the 
provinces  had  been  settled  by  the  sword,  Mitre,  then 
governor  of  Buenos  Aires,  having  gained  the  victory 
of   Pavon,   was  elected   constitutional   president,   an 


118  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

office  he  held  from  1862,  until  1868,  when  he  was  suc- 
ceeded by  Sarmiento.  It  was  during  his  administra- 
tion, that  the  basis  of  Argentine  prosperity  was  laid, 
in  spite  of  the  disastrous  war  with  Paraguay  that 
was  waged  during  his  time.  The  last  years  of  his 
life  were  those  of  a  scholar,  and  his  library  remains 
a  monument  to  his  studious  habits.  He  died  Janu- 
ary 19,  1906. 

Bartolom6  Mitre  was  an  indefatigable  worker,  and 
he  will  be  remembered,  not  only  as  a  soldier  and 
statesman,  but,  especially,  as  an  historian  and  a  poet. 
Among  other  works,  he  has  bequeathed  to  posterity 
the  biographies  of  Belgrano,  and  San  Martin.  His 
large  work  '^Catalogo  Razonado  de  la  Seccion  de  Len- 
guas  Americanas/'  gives  him  a  place  among  Amer- 
icanists, and  serves  as  an  evidence  of  his  erudition, 
and  varied  acquirements. 

The  house  he  occupied  in  the  Calle  San  Martin,  and 
in  which  he  died,  is  one  of  the  old  Spanish  residences, 
with  its  traditional  court  yard.  The  rooms  are,  ap- 
parently, as  when  he  lived  in  them.  That  in  which 
he  breathed  his  last  is  especially  interesting.  He 
departed  this  life  a  sincere  Christian,  in  the  shadow 
of  the  crucifix,  whatever  the  sentiments  and  conduct 
of  past  years  may  have  been. 

A  long,  sombre,  room  contains  his  voluminous  and 
valuable  library.  One  of  the  most  precious  works  in 
it,  is  that  entitled  ^'Doctrina  Cristiana  y  Cathecismo 
para  la  Instruccion  de  los  IndAos.'^  This  is  the  first 
book  printed  in  South  America.  It  was  published  by 
order  of  the  Council  of  Lima  in  1584,  by  the  printer 
Antonio  Ricardo  who  had  come  from  Mexico  to  Peru. 
The  first  book  printed  in  America  which  appeared  at 
Mexico  in  1535  has  completely  vanished,  while  of  the 


First  Days  in  Buenos  Aires  119 

first  book  that  issued  from  the  press  in  South  Amer- 
ica, only  two  copies  are  known  outside  of  Peru, 
one  that  belonged  to  the  library  of  Chaumette-Des- 
foss6s,  and  this  copy  of  General  Mitre.* 

The  "Museo  Mitre"  contains,  also,  a  valuable  col- 
lection of  documents  appertaining  to  the  colonial  his- 
tory of  Argentina,  and  covering  the  period  from  1514 
to  1810.  Senor  Alejandro  Kosa,  to  whom  the  Amer- 
icanists are  indebted  for  his  courtesy  is  the  director 
of  this  museum.  Under  his  care,  the  manuscript  of 
the  "Catalogo  Razonado"  of  Mitre  was  published,  in 
view  of  the  Americanist  Congress,  to  the  members  of 
which  it  was  presented. 

The  day  was  brought  to  a  close  with  a  reception 
given  to  the  Americanists  by  our  minister,  at  which 
General  Leonard  Wood,  special  representative  of  the 
United  States  to  Buenos  Aires  was  present.  The  com- 
pany consisted  entirely  of  gentlemen,  the  best  of  the 
old  Argentine  society,  men  of  the  state  and  of  letters, 
ex-ministers,  journalists,  poets,  and  historians,  with  a 
sprinkling  of  Americans.  One  of  the  distinguished 
persons  present  was  the  venerable  founder  of  the  city 
of  La  Plata,  Dr.  Dardo  Eocha. 

A  gentleman  with  an  Irish  name,  a  member  of  the 
old  Irish  colony,  and  speaking  English  perfectly,  in- 
troduced himself  to  me.  In  the  course  of  our  con- 
versation, he  informed  me  that  he  lived  in  the 
"camp."  This  was  the  first  time  I  had  heard  the 
term,  and,  wondered  what  kind  of  a  camp  it  might  be. 
The  explanation  was  soon  forthcoming.  The  whole 
of  Argentina  outside  of  the  cities,  or  you  might  say 
outside  of  Buenos  Aires,  is  the   camp,   that  is  the 


8  Recordando    el    Pasado,    Serafin    Livacich,    Buenos    Aires, 
1909. 


120  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

country.  The  word  camp  has,  clearly,  been  taken 
from  the  Spanish  "campo,"  the  field  or  country,  or, 
as  they  say  in  French,  "La  Campagne." 

The  hotel  Albion  to  which  we  returned  after  the 
reception  is  a  typical  South  American  hotel,  though 
the  proprietor  is  a  Swiss.  You  pass  from  the  street 
through  a  small  vestibule  where  the  "porter,"  an 
employe  always  found  in  European  hotels,  has  his 
desk.  The  porter,  or  whatever  other  name  he  may 
bear,  is  the  one  to  whom  you  generally  resort  for 
information.  He  is  supposed  to  know  everything, 
and,  when  you  leave,  he  comes  in  for  a  good  share  of 
your  tips.  I  willingly  gave  mine  to  him,  as  he  was 
such  an   obliging,   and   good-natured   Frenchman. 

From  this  vestibule,  you  enter  the  lift,  or  elevator, 
which  will  carry  you,  if  you  wish,  to  the  top  of  the 
house.  The  hotel  is  built  in  the  form  of  a  quadrangle 
with  an  immense  open  space  between  the  four  sides. 
The  rooms  generally  open  on  to  galleries  overlooking 
this  space.  Except  those  on  the  Avenida,  they  have 
no  opening  but  the  door,  and,  consequently,  they  are 
dark  and  cheerless.  To  make  matters  worse,  the  elec- 
tric current,  as  seems  to  be  generally  the  case  in 
South  America,  is  turned  off  during  the  day.  Winter 
was  coming  on,  and,  especially  in  the  evening,  it  was 
very  cold,  but  there  was  no  heat  in  the  house.  The 
South  Americans  are  no  friends  of  artificial  heat; 
most  of  them  seem  afraid  of  it.  Except  in  the  more 
modern  houses,  in  the  larger  hotels,  and  in  public 
buildings,  there  is  no  way  of  heating,  except  by  small 
braziers,  or  oil  stoves,  which  may  be  carried  from 
room  to  room.  This  is  true  of  Chile,  as  well  as  of 
Argentina,  countries  in  which  the  cold  may  be  severely 
felt.    It  is  no  wonder,  that  you  hear  such  complaints 


First  Days  in  Buenos  Aires  121 

of  colds.  The  consequence  is,  that  you  are  forced  to 
wear  your  overcoat  at  all  times,  indoors  and  out,  and 
that  ladifes  bring  their  wraps  and  furs  into  parlors 
and  reception  halls.  In  spite  of  the  cold,  however, 
they  will  attend  public  functions  in  full  dress,  for 
female  vanity  is  very  self-sacrificing  the  world  over. 

On  Tuesday,  May  16,  the  Americanists  held  their 
preliminary  meeting  in  the  building  of  the  Faculty 
of  Letters,  situated  at  No.  430  in  the  Calle  Viamonte, 
and  belonging  to  the  University  of  Buenos  Aires. 

At  three  of  the  afternoon,  the  solemn  inaugural  ses- 
sion was  held,  in  the  large  hall  of  the  Municipal 
Bank,  in  the  presence  of  the  ministers  of  Justice  and 
Public  Instruction,  and  of  the  Interior,  of  the  Inten- 
dente  or  Mayor,  and  of  other  distinguished  persons, 
under  the  presidency  of  Dr.  Victorino  de  la  Plaza, 
Minister  of  Foreign  Affairs. 

There  was  of  course  the  usual  speechmaking,  with 
more  or  less  eloquence,  in  the  course  of  which,  our 
minister  politely  referred  to  Argentina  as  "a  young 
giant  among  the  nations."  The  United  States  was 
everywhere  alluded  to  with  respect,  and  the  Smith- 
sonian Institution  obtained  its  well-merited  share  of 
recognition.  The  United  States  and  the  Smithsonian 
had  three  representatives  at  the  Congress,  namely, 
Professor  Bayley  Willis,  Dr.  Hrlicka,  and  myself. 

The  whole  of  Wednesday  was  devoted  to  scientific 
work,  and  the  reading  of  papers.  As  I  did  not  attend 
the  morning  session,  I  determined  to  visit  the  Pas- 
si  onist  Fathers  whose  church  is  situated  at  the  corner 
of  Estados  Unidos  and  General  Urquiza  streets,  and 
for  whom  I  had  a  letter  of  introduction.  This  com- 
munity was  established  from  the  United  States,  and, 
to  the  present  day,  a  number  of  its  members  are  Amer- 


122  Lands  of  the  Southern  Gross 

icans.  I  waited  for  a  long  time,  at  the  Calle  Vene- 
zuela, about  four  squares  south  of  the  Albion  hotel, 
but,  as  no  car  arrived,  I  proceeded  on  foot.  I  had 
walked  about  thirty  squares  before  I  reached  my 
destination,  that  is  about  one-fourth  of  the  entire 
width  of  the  city,  reckoning  from  east  to  west.  When 
the  Passionists  arrived  in  Buenos  Aires,  some  years 
ago,  they  were  at  the  outskirts  of  the  city;  now  they 
are  not  even  in  the  centre,  for  Buenos  Aires  has  ex- 
tended three  times  further  to  the  west  from  the  river. 
The  immense  growth  of  the  city  can  thus  easily  be 
seen.  My  walk  gave  me  the  advantage  of  becoming 
better  acquainted  with  the  general  appearance  of  this 
older  portion  of  the  city. 

There  are  several  large  hospitals  in  the  neighbor- 
hood of  the  Passionist  church  of  Santa  Cruz,  namely 
the  Spanish  hospital  at  the  corner  of  Belgrano  and 
Bioja  streets,  the  hospital  of  S.  Eoque  on  General 
Urquiza,  between  Venezuela  and  Mejico,  and  the 
French  hospital,  opposite  the  Santa  Cruz  church, 
on  General  Urquiza  and  Estados  Unidos.  Many 
more  hospitals  are  scattered  throughout  the  city. 
One  square  from  the  Passionists,  the  Irish  Sisters 
of  Mercy  conduct  a  boarding  and  day  school  for  girls, 
Irish  as  well  as  Argentine,  and  one  for  poor  children. 

Returning  from  the  Passionist  Fathers  by  electric 
cars,  I  found  myself  caught  in  a  crowd  on  the  Plaza 
de  Mayo,  and  soldiers  were  lined  up  along  the  streets, 
for  the  Infanta  Isabel  had  just  arrived,  to  represent 
Spain  at  the  centennial  celebration.  Years  ago  I  had 
seen  the  Infanta  at  a  bullfight  in  Saragoza,  and  I 
was  to  see  her  again  at  Lujan,  before  leaving  Argen- 
tina. Time  has  told  on  her,  as  on  her  sisters  of  more 
modest  condition  in  life,  and  she  is  now  a  portly 
lady  with  grey  hair. 


First  Days  in  Buenos  Aires  123 

From  now  on,  the  army  was  to  be  in  great  evi- 
dence in  Buenos  Aires,  taking  part  in  the  reception 
of  dignitaries,  as  well  as  in  general  parades. 

At  the  close  of  the  Americanist  Congress,  or  rather 
after  the  celebrations  of  May  25,  I  left  the  Albion 
hotel,  to  accept  the  invitation  of  the  kind  Paesioniat 
Fathers  who  wished  me  to  spend  a  few  days  with 
them.  It  was,  indeed,  a  relief  to  get  away  from  the 
crowd,  and  breathe  a  purer  air  with  such  charming 
companions.  Besides,  it  was  like  reaching  home 
again,  as  my  hosts  were,  nearly  all,  Americans,  or 
Argentinians  of  English  and  Irish  descent. 

Bidding  farewell  to  General  Wood  on  the  deck  of 
the  warship  Chester,  was  another  reminder  of  home. 
Immediately  behind  the  Chester,  lay  the  good  old 
Verdi,  that,  in  a  few  days,  was  to  begin  her  return 
voyage.  A  parting  cup  of  tea  was  sipped  on  board 
with  my  old  friend,  Mr.  Hulse,,  the  purser,  and,  on 
leaving  the  docks,  I  seemed  to  bid  farewell  once  more 
to  my  country. 

Shortly  after  the  celebrations,  the  foreign  delegates 
began  to  depart  to  their  respective  countries.  The 
Infanta  Isabel  was  escorted  to  her  steamer  with  great 
military  display,  and  immense  crowds.  The  sojourn 
of  the  late  President  Montt  of  Chile  had  been  over- 
clouded by  a  sad  event,  the  sudden  death  of  his 
young  secretary  in  an  elevator  accident  in  the  hotel 
Majestic. 


Chapter  IX. 

PLACES— PERSONS— MANNEKS— CUSTOMS. 

Crowds — Night  in  Buenos  Aires — The  Teatro  Colon — "Drug- 
stores"— The  Building  of  Congress — The  "Prensa" — News- 
papers— Historical  Museum — The  Reservoir — Jockey  Club 
— The  Slums — The  Working  Classes — Public  Charities — 
Architecture — Tea  and  "Mat§." 

Proceeding  directly  from  New  York  to  Buenos 
Aires,  excepting  the  language  and  the  architectural 
features  of  the  city,  you  would  find  little  difference 
between  the  capital  of  Argentina  and  one  of  our  busy 
American  cities.  The  same  life  is  there,  the  same 
rush,  and  activity,  and  the  same  manifestations  of 
industry  characterize  the  great  metropolis  of  the  La 
Plata  regions.  The  crowds,  however,  are  less  excited. 
People  do  not  make  a  mad  rush  for  cars,  elbowing 
each  other  out  of  the  way.  Even  when  Buenos  Aire^ 
was  at  fever  heat,  during  the  celebrations  of  May,  and 
it  was,  almost,  possible  to  walk  on  the  heads  of  the 
people  in  the  Calle  Florida,  and  the  Avenida,  there 
was  no  evidence  of  disorder.  No  one  seemed  to  lose 
patience,  everyone  took  his  time.  I  have  never  seen 
such  crowds.  At  night,  on  the  broad  Avenida,  car- 
riages ceased  making  an  attempt  to  run,  for  the  mul- 
titudes absolutely  filled  the  street.  Argentina  seemed 
to  have  poured  its  population  into  the  capital.  Yet 
the  police  handled  the  crowd  admirably.  I  saw  no 
clubbing,  no  forcing  back  of  the  people  by  men  on 
horseback,  not  a  sign  of  disorder.    The  gentle  manner 

124 


Places — Persons — Manners — Customs  125 

of  the  police  was  admirable.  Sometimes  they  would 
reason  with  an  obstreperous  individual ;  but,  as  a  rule, 
they  did  their  work,  and  said  nothing.  It  was  evi- 
dent, that  they  were  trained  to  the  task,  though  the 
strain  upon  them  must  have  been  immense.  Occasion- 
ally an  arrest  would  be  made,  but  in  such  a  quiet, 
and  matter  of  fact,  manner,  that  only  the  immediate 
bystanders  knew  anything  of  it. 

It  is  a  wonder  to  me,  that  with  the  narrow  streets 
of  old  Buenos  Aires,  and  the  numerous  carriages  con- 
stantly rushing  through  them,  there  are  not  more  ac- 
cidents. The  busiest  thoroughfares  are  the  Avenida, 
and  the  narrow  streets  to  the  north  of  it,  like  Florida, 
Bartolom^  Mitre,  San  Martin,  Corrientes,  and  others 
where  the  banks,  ofiQces,  and  stores  are,  to  a  great 
extent,  located. 

The  surging  multitudes  on  these  thoroughfares  are 
intent  on  business  during  the  day,  in  the  evening  they 
are  returning  home,  and,  at  night,  they  are  amusing 
themselves.  Ladies,  some  on  foot,  others  in  their  car- 
riages, are  visiting  the  stores,  bent  on  that  errand 
so  dear  to  the  feminine  heart,  "shopping."  Some- 
times you  meet  a  group  of  Argentine  beauties,  with 
the  Castilian  accents  undulating  from  their  lips,  and 
an  occasional  long  accentuated  '^ee/'  rising  above  the 
other  tones,  to  denote,  probably,  one  of  those  dimin- 
utives so  much  in  favor  in  Spanish,  like  Anita,  little 
Anne,  hi  jit  a,  little  daughter,  or  even  cosita,  little 
thing. 

In  the  evening,  after  dark,  until  a  late  hour, 
Buenos  Aires,  like  Paris,  is  abroad.  Unlike  the  cities 
of  the  west  coast,  where,  at  night,  everything  seems 
dead,  the  capital  of  Argentina  is  very  much  alive. 
A    profusion    of    electric    lights    turns    night    into 


126  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

day.  If  there  is  one  thing  in  modern  civilization 
that  South  America  has  adopted  with  a  vengeance, 
it  is  the  electric  light,  in  the  street,  in  churches,  in 
hotels,  in  residences :  everywhere.  The  dazzling  splen- 
dor, during  the  festivities  of  May,  on  the  Avenida, 
the  Plaza  de  Mayo  and  del  Congreso,  as  well  as  on 
the  Calle  Florida,  baffles  all  description.  Millions 
and  millions  of  bulbs  which  are  all  imported  from 
abroad,  were  strung  up  in  these  streets,  to  such  an 
extent,  that  for  some  time  it  was  not  possible  to  light 
them  all. 

Surrounded  by  this  radiance,  people  are  moving  to 
and  fro  in  considerable  numbers,  some  are  taking  a 
walk,  others  hastening  to  the  cars.  Equipages  and 
pedestrians  are  wending  their  way  to  the  theatres, 
and  other  places  of  amusement. 

The  most  important  theatre  in  the  city  is  the  "Tea- 
tro  Colon,"  a  splendid  edifice,  and,  surely,  one  of 
the  largest  in  the  world.  The  Americanists,  as  guests 
of  the  municipality,  heard,  within  its  walls,  the  Ital- 
ian opera  Vesta.  To  judge  from  appearances,  all 
that  was  fashionable  in  Buenos  Aires  was  there.  Be- 
tween the  acts,  as  is  done  elsewhere,  there  was  a  gen- 
eral survey  taken  of  everybody  by  everybody.  Gen- 
tlemen, standing  with  their  back  to  the  stage,  would 
sweep  the  audience  with  their  opera  glasses,  while, 
ladies  in  their  seats,  if  they  occupied  a  convenient 
position  would  imitate  their  example.  At  one  inter- 
mission, the  Americanists  were  ushered  into  a  large 
reception  room,  and  treated  to  the  inevitable  cham- 
pagne. 

Although  moving  picture  shows  exist,  they  are  by  no 
means  so  frequent  as  with  us.     In  fact,  I  saw  only  a 


Places — Persons — Manners — Customs  127 

few  of  them,  and,  on  the  Pacific  coast  they  are  still 
less  in   evidence. 

A  favorite  way  of  spending  time  in  the  evening  is 
to  sit  at  table  on  the  broad  sidewalk  of  the  Avenida, 
in  front  of  one  of  the  brilliantly  lighted  caf^s,  and 
sip  sodas,  lemonade,  liqueurs,  and  so  on.  Numerous 
tables  are  ranged  on  both  sides  of  the  sidewalk,  leav- 
ing room  in  the  centre  for  pedestrians.  This  Parisian, 
or  European,  custom  is  of  recent  introduction  into 
Buenos  Aires. 

On  the  other  hand,  you  never  see  a  soda  water 
fountain  in  a  drug  store,  or  anywhere,  for  that  mat- 
ter. Argentina  does  not  appear  to  have  taken  kindly 
to  the  custom.  Drug  stores,  as  we  call  the  apothecary 
shops,  are  quite  numerous,  and  some  of  them  very  ele- 
gant. Quite  a  number  call  themselves  "English," 
'^Drogueria  Inglesaf  but  I  failed  to  see  one  with  the 
adjective  "American."  The  "English"  drug  stores, 
and,  perhaps,  some  of  the  others,  sell  toilet  articles, 
but  they  do  not  include  stationery  or  cigars  in  their 
stock.  Should  an  enterprising  American  undertake 
to  establish  a  drug  store  on  the  American  system,  he 
will,  no  doubt,  have  to  beat  down  much  opposition 
on  the  part  of  those  who  have  preempted  the  field. 
Drugs  are,  to  a  great  extent,  imported  from  France, 
although  some  of  our  American  wholesale  houses  have, 
I  believe,  their  agents  in  the  field.  By  law,  the  drug- 
gists may  not  sell  certain  medicines,  even  such  a  rem- 
edy as  calomel,  without  the  prescription  of  a  physi- 
cian. 

Doctors  and  dentists  must  make  money  in  Buenos 
Aires,  to  judge  from  the  prices  they  charge.  A  master 
in  the  dental  profession  who  had  me  in  his  chair  was 
quite  surprised  that  a  piece  of  work  for  which  he 


128  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

wanted  to  charge  me  |100.00  in  Argentine  money, 
could  be  done  in  the  States  for  ten  or  twelve  dollars, 
gold. 

At  the  end  of  the  Avenida  Mayo,  there  is  today  a 
splendid  Plaza,  that  of  the  Congress.  About  a  year 
ago,  this  Plaza  did  not  exist,  and  the  space  was  oc- 
cupied by  streets,  and  houses.  Within  a  few  months, 
the  entire  place  had  been  cleared,  houses  torn  down, 
streets  obliterated,  obstacles  overcome,  and  the  Plaza 
was  a  fact,  to  the  glad  surprise  of  the  people  of 
Buenos  Aires,  who  felt  therein  the  vital  energy  of 
their  young  nation. 

Facing  this  Plaza,  stands  the  new  Congress  build- 
ing where  Argentina  makes  her  laws.  Divided  into 
two  wings,  for  the  accommodation  of  both  houses  of 
Congress,  the  edifice  is  surmounted  15j  a  lofty  dome, 
the  whole  occupying  a  commanding  position  at  the 
foot  of  the  Avenida  de  Mayo  which  connects  the  Plaza 
del  Congreso  with  the  Plaza  de  Mayo.  A  fine  eques- 
trian statue  of  Bartolome  Mitre,  with  symbolical 
statues,  is  to  be  erected  on  the  Plaza  del  Congreso. 

Before  leaving  this  vicinity,  it  would  be  well  to 
take  a  look  at  the  beautiful  edifice  of  the  "Prensa" 
on  the  Avenida  de  Mayo,  which  is  said  to  be  the  finest 
newspaper  building  in  existence,  especially  for  the 
magnificence  of  its  interior,  for  its  splendid  recep- 
tion rooms,  as  well  as  for  its  equipment.  The  Pren- 
Stty  or  Press,  is  the  largest  newspaper,  not  only  in 
Buenos  Aires,  but,  probably,  in  the  Latin  world.  Its 
general  make-up  much  resembles  our  great  dailies. 
I  have  lying  before  me  a  copy  every  bit  as  large  as  the 
New  York  Herald  or  the  London  Times,  and  con- 
taining twenty  pages.  Nine  or  ten  of  them  are  cov- 
ered  with  advertisements   of   all   descriptions.      The 


Places — Persons — Manners — Customs  129 

"help  wanted,"  and  "positions  wanted,"  columns  are 
in  form  precisely  like  those  of  the  New  York  Herald, 
The  illustrations,  however,  are  very  poor.  A  con- 
siderable portion  of  the  paper  is  devoted  to  news, 
local,  national,  and  foreign,  with  signed  articles  from 
correspondents. 

La  Nacion  is  an  important  paper  of  Buenos  Aires, 
of  which,  at  one  time,  Bartolome  Mitre  was  editor. 
Other  papers  in  the  city  are  La  Argentina,  rather 
sensational.  El  Diario,  La  Razon,  La  Repuhlica,  El 
Correo  del  8ud,  El  Pueblo,  besides  many  more,  while 
the  provinces  have,  also,  their  local  journals.  Day 
after  day,  one  hears  the  newsboys  in  the  streets,  the 
cars  and  everywhere,  as  with  us,  proclaiming  their 
lists  of  papers,  Prensa,  Diario,  Nacion,  not  so  pithily, 
and  briskly  as  our  boys  are  wont  to  cry,  but  in  that 
peculiar  sing-song  manner,  to  which  the  Spanish  lan- 
guage lends  itself  more  easily.  Newsboys  are  news- 
boys all  over  the  world.  One  morning,  on  the  Aven- 
ida,  I  ran  into  a  newsboys'  fight,  and  found  three  or 
four  of  them  striking  a  little  Jew  whose  only  defense 
seemed  to  be  his  tears.  Siding  with  the  "under  dog," 
I  took  the  little  ruffians  to  task.  Their  excuse  was, 
that  he  was  a  Eussian.  Everything  that  in  the  re- 
motest manner  savored  of  the  anarchist  was  in  those 
days  in  bad  repute  in  Buenos  Aires,  and  the  Russian 
Jews  were  not  in  good  odor. 

There  are  many  foreign  journals  in  Buenos  Aires, 
and  several  in  the  English  language.  The  Standard 
is,  perhaps,  the  best  known  of  these.  It  is  a  large 
sheet  of  about  fourteen  pages,  with  news  especially 
of  interest  to  the  English  colony,  and  a  good  deal 
of  local  information  of  the  same  character.  Equally 
good  is  the  Buenos  Aires  Herald  with  readable  edi- 


130  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

torials,  and  a  very  gentlemanly,  and  affable  editor, 
Mr.  Finn. 

The  Southern  Cross  is  a  strong  Irish  paper,  edited 
by  a  priest,  Monsignor  McDonnell,  and,  as  its  name 
denotes,  the  Hiherno  Argentine  Review  is  also  devoted 
to  the  children  of  Erin.  The  Passionist  Fathers  have 
lately  begun  a  monthly,  entitled  The  Cross,  which 
promises,  from  what  is  said  of  it,  to  be  a  success. 

Although  the  art  of  printing  had  existed  in  Mex- 
ico since  1535,  and  in  Lima  from  1580,  it  was  not 
introduced  into  Buenos  Aires,  until  1780,  by  the  ini- 
tiative of  the  Viceroy  Vertiz.  However  the  Jesuits 
in  Tucuman  had  been  printing  a  long  time  previously. 
The  first  paper  ever  published  in  the  city,  the  Tele- 
grafo  Mercantile  had  a  very  short  life,  from  1801  to 
1802. 

Eeturn  now  to  the  Plaza  de  Mayo,  and  tell  your 
driver  to  take  you  to  the  Museo  Historico,  in  the  Calle 
Defensa,  or  walk  it,  if  you  prefer,  following  the  street 
some  distance  past  the  large  churches  of  the  Fran- 
ciscans and  Dominicans  that  you  cannot  fail  to  no- 
tice. 

The  historical  museum  is  in  charge  of  the  well- 
known  historian,  Adolfo  Carranza,  and  it  is  of  the 
greatest  value  for  the  student  of  Argentine  history. 
The  house  itself  is  a  relic,  as  a  well  preserved  edifice 
in  that  old  colonial  style  which,  in  Buenos  Aires,  is 
fast  disappearing.  The  old  Spanish  patio,  with  the 
well  in  the  centre,  remains  intact,  a  memory  of  by- 
gone days.  Especially  interesting  is  the  furniture  of 
the  room  in  which  San  Martin  died,  that  was  brought 
over  from  Boulogne.  The  large  and  beautiful  garden 
of  this  old  residence  is  now  converted  into  a  public 


Places — Persons — Manners — Customs  131 

park,  giving  an  idea  of  what  colonial  wealth  and  ele- 
gance must  have  been. 

Among  the  public  buildings  of  Buenos  Aires  which 
you  must,  surely,  not  fail  to  see,  is  the  great  reser- 
voir, east  of  the  buildings  of  Congress,  occupying  a 
whole  square  on  Kiobamba  street.  You  would  never 
know  its  purpose,  were  you  not  told,  for  it  looks 
like  an  immense  palace,  splendidly  adorned  on  the 
outside  with  glazed  tiles.  The  huge  water  tanks  are 
within.  A  general  filtration  plant  purifies  the  water 
used  by  the  city.  The  sewerage  system,  especially  in 
the  older  part  of  Buenos  Aires,  is  perfect,  and  one  is 
spared  the  dirt  and  filth  of  which  we  hear  such 
complaints   in   some   other   cities   of   Latin   America. 

The  modern  and  artistic  Jockey  Club,  on  the  Calle 
Florida,  can  hardly  be  surpassed  as  a  club  building. 
Of  very  large  proportions,  splendidly  equipped,  it  is 
a  fine  specimen  of  ornate  Renaissance.  At  the  close 
of  the  International  Congress  of  Americanists,  a  fare- 
well banquet  was  here  tendered  to  the  members 
by  the  President  of  the  Congress,  Dr.  Jos6  Nicolas 
Matienzo,  dean  of  the  faculty  of  philosophy  and  let- 
ters of  the  University  of  Buenos  Aires. 

As  you  stroll  through  the  streets  of  Buenos  Aires, 
you  will  find,  here  and  there,  a  poor  man  or  woman, 
seated  in  a  nook  or  corner,  peddling  cigars,  cigar- 
ettes, stogies,  or  some  other  article.  Occasionally  you 
meet  one  imploring  alms;  but  not  frequently,  al- 
though the  crowds  of  the  May  Days  seemed  to  draw 
out  more  beggars  than  ordinarily.  Beggary  is  for- 
bidden by  law,  and  very  few  mendicants  are  seen  at 
the  church  doors,  as  in  Europe,  or  at  Rio  de  Janeiro. 
One  evening,  walking  along  the  Avenida,  I  beheld  the 
pitiful   sight   of   a   poor   creature,   about   seventy   or 


132  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

eighty  years  of  age,  huddled  in  a  corner  of  the  side- 
walk, with  a  little  boy  by  her  side,  the  picture  of  the 
most  abject  misery.  The  sight  was  touching,  as  it 
formed  such  a  striking  contrast  with  the  magnificence 
all  around  me,  though  the  old  woman  may,  for  all  I 
know,  have  been  a  professional,  as,  on  another  occa- 
sion, I  met  the  same  couple  again. 

As  a  rule,  however,  one  sees  very  few  signs  of 
misery  or  wretchedness  in  Buenos  Aires.  There  is 
poverty,  of  course,  as  there  is  everywhere,  and  the 
condition  of  the  poor  is,  no  doubt,  wretched  in  a 
large  city,  where  rents  are  high,  and  the  struggle  for 
existence  has  begun  with  all  its  concomitant  evils; 
but  this  poverty  and  wretchedness  do  not  force  them- 
selves upon  you.  Many  of  the  poor  live  in  those 
miserable,  low.  South  American  tenements,  known  as 
conventillos,  yet  they  are,  perhaps,  a  degree  or  more 
less  wretched,  than  those  of  the  unsightly  tenements 
of  New  York,  that  reach  up  to  the  skies.  The  con- 
ventillo  is  a  long,  low,  building,  opening  on  the  street, 
and  stretching  far  back.  As  you  pass  along,  you 
catch  a  glimpse  of  a  passage,  with  rooms  opening  into 
it,  the  rooms  of  the  poor,  where,  often,  squalor  and 
misery  prevail.  Each  family  occupies  one  or  more 
rooms,  according  to  its  means. 

Directly  south  of  the  city,  in  a  district  known  as 
Nueva  Pompeya,  inhabited  largely  by  Italians,  a 
bridge  crosses  the  Riachuelo  to  the  Villa  Alsina,  on 
the  other  side.  At  this  bridge,  a  great  many  skins 
are  loaded  on  large  boats  to  be  floated  down  the  river 
to  La  Boca  for  exportation.  La  Boca  is  the  quarter 
at  the  extremity  of  the  docks  between  the  Darsena 
Sud,  and  the  Riachuelo.  In  this  Italian  quarter,  but, 
especially  at  the  Boca,  you  will  see  the  life  of  lower 


Places — Persons — Manners — Customs  133 

Buenos  Aires,  of  the  hewers  of  wood,  and  the  drawer* 
of  water.  At  the  Boca,  where  sailors  of  all  nation- 
alities are  to  be  expected,  you  must  be  prepared  for 
the  kind  of  life  you  will  find  in  all  large  seaports. 

In  Argentina  there  is  work  for  all;  but  wages  are 
not  so  high  as  ours,  though  living  is  really  cheaper. 
As  with  us,  there  is  a  great  proletariat,  an  immense 
class  that  live  by  the  labor  of  their  hands,  not  only 
of  men,  but  of  women  too.  Although  the  employ- 
ment of  women  in  Argentina  is  far  from  being  so  uni- 
versal as  with  us,  and  there  is  not  such  an  immense 
multitude  of  factory  girls,  still  women  and  girls  find 
a  considerable  amount  of  employment.  There  are 
shop  girls,  "salesladies,'^  telegraph  office  girls,  girls 
that  make  and  pack  cigars,  and  cigarettes,  girls  in 
photographic  establishments,  besides  many  in  other 
industries.  I  think  that  these  are,  nearly  all,  taken 
from  the  foreign  population,  the  great  army  of  bread- 
winners that  have  come  from  Europe,  to  seek  their 
fortune  in  the  New  World,  and  who  are  obliged  to 
begin  at  the  foot  of  the  ladder. 

Ladies  of  the  middle  class  are  seen  abroad,  as  in 
our  country,  well  dressed,  more  or  less  active,  attend- 
ing to  their  several  affairs  on  foot  in  the  streets. 
Those  of  the  "upper  ten,"  and  the  wealthy  generally 
drive  around  in  their  carriages. 

One  very  useful  occupation  of  the  ladies  of  Argen- 
tina is  the  management  of  public  charities,  which  is, 
generally,  in  their  hands,  and  there  are  many  chari- 
table institutions  throughout  South  America.  Be- 
sides, although  they  take  no  direct  part  in  the  gov- 
ernment, they  make  their  influence  felt,  and  it  is, 
generally,  for  good,  because  the  ladies  of  South 
America,   as   a   rule,   are   religiously   inclined.     For 


134  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

instance,  when  an  attempt  was  made  to  introduce 
divorce  into  the  country,  it  was  the  combined  action 
of  the  ladies  that  nipped  it  in  the  bud.  Together 
with  the  clergy,  they  have,  also,  been  very  influential 
in  framing  Sunday  laws  which  are,  fairly  well,  ob- 
served in  Buenos  Aires.  That  flagrant  disregard  of 
the  sanctity  of  the  Lord's  Day  that  one  sees  in  some 
cities  in  Europe  is  not  generally  noticed  in  the  capital 
of  Argentina. 

In  Latin  countries,  girls  are  kept  more  closely 
guarded  than  in  those  of  the  Tuetonic  or  Anglo-Saxon 
race;  yet,  in  the  more  modernized  countries  of  South 
America,  far  less  so,  than  was  the  custom  years  ago. 
I  think  that  the  higher  the  class  to  which  they  belong, 
the  more  secluded  they  are,  and  that  the  original 
Argentinians  have  preserved  more  tradition  in  this 
regard,  than  the  foreigners.  It  is  not  good  form  for 
young  ladies  to  walk  the  streets  alone,  they  are  not 
left  to  "keep  company"  with  young  men,  unless  under 
supervision,  and,  in  Spanish  America,  the  vigilance 
of  parents  is  sometimes  very  strict.  On  board  a 
steamer,  on  one  of  my  journeys,  there  were  a  father 
and  daughter.  It  was  quite  evident,  that  he  watched 
her  with  a  vigilant  eye.  If  some  or  other  young  man 
engaged  her  in  conversation,  the  old  gentleman  was 
sure  to  make  his  appearance,  a  conduct  in  marked 
contrast  to  that  of  English  and  American  parents 
abroad  who  take  it  for  granted,  that  their  daughters 
are  old  enough  to  care  for  themselves. 

At  public  functions,  and  receptions,  ladies  appear 
to  be  less  in  evidence  than  in  our  lands,  where  a 
greater  equality  among  men  and  women  prevails. 
The  ladies  in  South  America  are  less  masculine  than 
ours;  but  they  would  possess  still  more  grace,  were 


PRIVATE  RESIDENCE,  BUENOS  AIRES 


Places — Persons — Manners — Customs  135 

they  to  use  less  powder  and  paint,  a  disgusting  cus- 
tom that  prevails  generally. 

From  the  old  "blue  blood"  Argentine  society,  you 
must  distinguish  in  Buenos  Aires  the  nouveau-riches 
of  which  there  are  a  great  many.  Some  persons  of 
this  class,  though  they  have  made  a  great  deal  of 
money,  and  they  live  in  fine  houses,  have  not  entirely 
weaned  themselves  from  the  habits  of  their  earlier 
life,  nor  adopted  culture  and  refinement.  A  gentle- 
man of  this  description  may  still  dress  in  the  style 
of  the  "hacienda,"  and  the  old  lady  may  come  down 
to  the  parlor  in  a  neglig6  costume,  yet,  apart  from 
all  this,  it  is  a  pleasure  to  meet  them,  with  their 
simple,  and  unsophisticated  manners. 

Foreigners  say,  that  even  the  old  Argentines  are 
careless  in  their  own  houses,  and  that  the  brilliancy 
and  etiquette,  shown  in  public,  do  not  always  find 
their  counterpart  at  home. 

The  houses,  built  on  the  old  Spanish-American  sys- 
tem are,  besides  being  low,  at  most  of  two  stories, 
constructed  around  a  patio,  or  courtyard,  upon  which 
the  living  rooms  open.  This  is  rather  uncomfortable 
in  bad  weather,  as  to  go,  say  from  the  parlor,  or 
from  your  bedroom,  to  the  dining  room,  you  must 
pass  through  the  patio,  and  be  exposed  to  the  rain, 
the  cold,  or  the  night  air. 

There  is,  also,  a  large  number  of  houses  of  two 
stories,  occupied  by  separate  families,  the  one  on  the 
ground  floor,  and  the  other  immediately  above. 

The  newer  residences  of  the  wealthy  are  more  mod- 
ern in  type,  and  some  are  quite  palatial,  being  greatly 
influenced  by  French  architecture,  with  decorations 
elaborate  and  rich.    You  will  find  in  them  large,  well 


136  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

ventilated  bedroms,  opening  on  the  balcony  and  over- 
looking the  street,  splendidly  furnished  parlors  and 
dining  room,  and  a  lift  or  elevator.  Sometimes  the 
kitchen  is  at  the  top  of  the  house,  so  as  to  avoid 
the  odor  of  cooking.  Again  the  family  may  possess 
a  smaller  dining  room  for  little  domestic  reunions, 
or  an  afternoon  tea. 

The  four,  or  five  o'clock  tea  has  gotten  to  be  quite 
fashionable  in  Buenos  Aires,  under  the  influence  of 
English  associations.  Argentina  consumes  much  tea 
which  might  supersede  the  old  mate^  were  the  latter 
not  so  deeply  rooted  in  national  habit.  This  herb, 
yerha,  grows  in  Southern  Brazil,  Paraguay,  and  in 
Gran  Chaco,  Argentina.  It  is  drunk  from  a  gourd, 
the  mate^  through  a  tube,  the  homMlla.  Some  of 
these  gourds  are  very  rich,  mounted,  as  they  are,  in 
silver  and  gold. 

Put  first  the  homMlla  into  the  gourd,  then  the  tea 
to  which  sugar  must  be  added,  and  pour  hot  water 
over  it.  When  the  beverage  is  exhausted,  pour  in 
more  hot  water.  The  taste  for  mate  must  be  acquired, 
but  you  will  not  be  a  full-fledged  Argentinian,  until 
you  have  learned  to  drink  it.  The  Jesuits  are  said 
to  have  first  discovered  the  properties  of  this  South 
American  tea.  You  may,  also,  use  it  in  a  cup  with 
sugar  and  milk,  as  you  would  an  ordinary  tea,  from 
which  it  will  not  differ  so  much  in  taste. 

The  custom  used  to  prevail  of  passing  the  m^te 
from  mouth  to  mouth;  but,  under  the  influence  of 
foreign  influx  no  doubt,  it  is  wearing  away.  It  was 
even  bad  form  to  wipe  off  the  mouthpiece,  and  the 
servant  was  the  first  to  taste  it,  in  order  to  clear  the 
tube. 


Places — Persons — Manners — Customs  137 

Argentina  must  be  one  of  the  great  tea  drinking 
countries,  if  one  judges  from  the  amount  of  teas  ad- 
vertised. These  advertisements  are  especially  prom- 
inent on  long  sign  boards  above  the  street  cars,  for 
much  of  the  advertising  is  done  from  the  top  of  the 
cars.  Every  now  and  then,  you  see  a  car  with  the 
sign,  in  big  letters,  of  Te  Tigre,  Te  Magnolia,  or  of 
some  other  kind  of  tea. 


Chapter  X. 
THE  CHUKCH  IN  AEGENTINA. 

Churches  and  Parishes — The  Cathedral — Tomb  of  San  Martin- 
Archbishop's  Palace — Hierarchy  in  Argentina — The  Cas- 
sock— Procession  of  Corpus  Christi — San  Francisco  and 
Santo  Domingo  —  Argentine  Generosity  —  Funerals  —  The 
Friars  in  South  America — Monument  to  Belgrano — Church 
of  St.  Ignatius — Admiring  American  Methods — The  Pas- 
sionists — Our  Lady  of  Lujan — Reminiscenses  of  Pio  IX — 
The  Infanta   Isabel — Irreligion — Protestant  Churches. 

It  is  impossible  to  write  of  South  America,  with- 
out referring  to  the  Church,  as  you  meet  her,  at  every 
step.  During  the  colonial  period,  she  played  a  most 
important  part  in  the  development  of  the  newly  dis- 
covered countries,  and,  even  today,  she  is  so  inti- 
mately bound  up  with  public  life,  that  it  is  impossible 
to  overlook  her.  When  the  colonies  won  their  inde- 
pendence in  the  last  century,  they  were  not  prepared 
for  the  step  that  Brazil  took,  nearly  a  hundred  years 
later,  and  thus  Church  and  state  remained  generally 
united. 

The  numerous  churches  in  existence  today  testify 
to  the  piety  of  past  generations,  while^  as  a  conside- 
able  proportion  of  the  population  is  made  up  of 
church-goers,  especially  among  the  women,  the  sacred 
edifices  are  still  very  much  in  use. 

As  I  arrived  in  Buenos  Aires  on  Sunday  morning, 
I  went  in  quest  of  a  church.  The  one  I  found  after 
some  inquiries,  was  that  of  El  Socorro,  with  an  aris- 
tocratic congregation,  consisting  of  a  number  of  men, 

138 


The  Church  in  Argentina  139 

and  very  many  ladies.  It  was  Pentecost  Sunday,  and 
a  Solemn  Mass  was  in  progress.  High  Mass  is  sung 
generally  on  great  feasts,  or  on  special  occasions, 
when  sermons  are,  also,  preached.  The  church  was 
well  filled,  and  it  was  noticed,  that  the  ladies  gener- 
ally wore  hats,  having  discarded  the  mantilla  which 
is  worn  only  by  women  of  the  lower  classes,  contrary  to 
what  one  observes  in  other  South  American  countries. 

The  Socorro,  at  888  Calle  Juncal,  dates  from  1783. 
It  is  a  parish  church.  There  are  twenty-four  parishes 
and  two  vice-parishes  in  Buenos  Aires,  but,  besides 
these,  the  city  numbers,  at  least  sixty  other  churches 
and  public  chapels,  and  about  seventy  chapels  that 
are  known  as  semi-public.  The  parish  churches  are 
attended  by  a  number  of  priests  who  are  employed  in 
the  service  of  the  church,  and  of  subordinate  institu- 
tions. Besides,  it  is  customary  in  Buenos  Aires  for 
families  to  have  a  large  number  of  Masses  said  at 
the  same  time,  for  which  service  many  priests  are 
required.  You  will  notice  that  the  churches  of  South 
America  generally  contain  a  large  number  of  side 
chapels  with  altars.  In  Buenos  Aires,  these  altars  are 
frequently  erected  and  maintained  by  private  fam- 
ilies. 

After  Mass,  I  repaired  to  the  sacristy,  where  I  be- 
came acquainted  with  a  courteous  young  priest,  Don 
Fortunato  Devoto,  of  whom  I  had  read,  and  whose 
portrait  I  had  seen  the  day  previously  on  board  the 
ship  in  Caras  y  Caretas,  a  popular  illustrated  maga- 
zine. He  was,  at  the  time,  temporarily  in  charge  of 
the  astronomical  observatory  of  La  Plata,  and  the 
magazine  in  question  had  been  interviewing  him  on 
the  comet  I  which  was  fast  approaching  the  earth.  His 
words,  no  doubt,  contributed  greatly  to  allay  the  fears 


140  Lands  of  the  Southern  Gross 

and  anxiety  of  his  readers.  I  met  him  quite  accident- 
ally in  the  sacristy;  but  I  was  to  enjoy  his  company 
a  few  days  later  at  La  Plata. 

The  church  of  La  Merced,  also  a  parish  church,  No. 
203,  Calle  Reconquista,  was  formerly  the  church  of 
the  order  of  La  Merced  of  the  Redemption  of  Cap- 
tives, an  order  of  Spanish  origin,  once  quite  num- 
erous, but  limited  at  present  mostly  to  Spanish 
America. 

The  cathedral,  on  the  Calle  Rivadavia,  which  sep- 
arates it  from  the  Plaza  de  Mayo  is,  of  course,  the 
most  important  church  of  the  city.  Its  foundation 
co-incides  with  that  of  Buenos  Aires,  as  its  site  was 
«et  aside  for  the  parish  church,  on  June  11,  1580. 
The  first  building,  erected  in  1622,  was  of  adobe,  with 
a  thatched  roof.  This  was,  in  course  of  time,  im- 
proved upon  and  repaired,  until,  on  May  24,  1753,  it 
collapsed.  The  present  edifice  was  begun  in  1791. 
The  facade,  designed  on  the  plan  of  La  Madeleine, 
at  Paris,  owes  its  origin  to  President  Rivadavia. 

The  Plaza  de  Mayo  is,  evidently,  the  original,  and 
oldest  square  in  the  city,  as  it  was  the  custom  of  the 
conquistadores  to  build  their  principal  church  on  the 
Plasia  Mayor,  or  great  square,  called  also  some  times 
Plaza  de  Armas,  square  of  arms,  a  kind  of  Campus 
Martis.  In  the  vicinity  of  the  cathedral,  or  mother 
church,  the  Franciscan,  Dominican,  Augustinian  and 
Mercedarian  Friars,  with  the  later  Jesuits,  were  ac- 
customed to  erect  their  churches.  These  religious  men 
played  always  a  most  important,  if  less  ostentatious, 
part  in  the  history  of  American  colonization. 

Ascending  a  low  flight  of  steps,  you  find  yourself 
in  a  lofty  Corinthian  portico,  surmounted  by  the  ordi- 
nary triangular  tympanum,  filled  with  figures  in  re- 


The  Church  in  Argentina  141 

lief.  Entering  through  the  middle  door,  you  will  be 
Impressed  by  the  sombre  majesty  of  the  interior,  bro- 
ken only  by  the  gold  and  decorations  of  the  main 
altar.  Before  the  altar,  on  either  side,  in  the  spacious 
sanctuary,  are  ranged  the  stalls  in  which  the  canons 
at  stated  times  of  the  day,  take  their  seat  to  recite 
or  chant  the  office.  I  have  not  observed  in  South 
America  the  old  Spanish  custom  of  having  the  coro 
or  choir  in  the  centre  aisle,  as  one  sees  it  at  Cordova, 
and  in  other  cathedrals  of  the  Peninsula. 

There  are  several  tombs  in  the  cathedral,  but  the 
most  important  is  that  of  General  San  Martin,  in 
a  side  chapel  to  the  right,  as  you  face  the  altar. 
Jos6  de  San  Martin  was  born  in  Argentina  in  1778, 
and  educated  in  Spain,  where  he  served  in  the  Pen- 
insular armies.  He  had  attained  to  the  rank  of 
colonel,  when  the  revolution  broke  out  in  his  coun- 
try, to  which  he  hastened  back  to  offer  his  services 
that  were  gladly  accepted.  Henceforth  he  becomes 
one  of  the  most  prominent  figures,  not  only  in  the 
history  of  Argentine  independence,  but  in  that  of 
South  America,  being  second  only  to  Bolivar,  if  he 
did  not  equal  him.  His  passage  across  the  Andes 
was  sufficient  to  immortalize  him,  and  to  give  him 
a  niche  in  the  temple  of  fame  beside  Hannibal  and 
Napoleon.  Argentina,  Peru  and  Chile  profited  by  his 
military  genius;  yet,  when  the  supreme  glory  of  final 
conquest  was  in  sight,  he  generously  ceded  all  to 
Bolivar,  and  retired  to  private  life.  He  was  saved  the 
bitterness  of  fraternal  discord  that  was  soon  to  de- 
vour the  vitals  of  the  new  republics.  San  Martin  died 
at  Boulogne  in  France,  on  August  17,  1850.  His  grate- 
ful country  brought  his  remains  home,  and  erected  his 
splendid  mausoleum  in  the  cathedral.    Both  Chile  and 


142  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

Peru  have  consecrated  statues  to  his  memory,  and, 
during  the  centennial  celebrations  of  the  present  year, 
the  latter  sent  her  cadet  corps  to  visit  his  tomb. 
They  were  received  on  May  21  at  the  entrance  to  the 
cathedral  by  the  archbishop,  while  one  of  the  officers 
read  an  address,  to  which  the  vicar-general  replied. 
The  cadets  of  Chile  and  Argentina  then  marched  into 
the  cathedral^  filing  before  the  tomb  upon  which  those 
of  Chile  placed  a  wreath.  Both  bodies  of  young  men, 
the  hope  of  their  country,  made  a  fine  appearance, 
as  they  marched  through  the  dim  aisles  of  the  lofty 
edifice. 

The  cathedral  parish  is  divided  into  two  sections, 
namely  the  vicariates  of  the  Cathedral  North,  and  the 
Cathedral  South.  The  former  is  served  by  the  church 
of  La  Merced,  and  the  other  by  that  of  St.  Ignatius. 

To  the  left  of  the  cathedral,  stands  the  archbishop's 
palace.  Entering  through  a  large  gateway,  and  some- 
what obscure  vestibule,  you  find  yourself  in  a  spacious 
courtyard  of  genuine  old  Spanish  type,  with  offices 
and  reception  rooms  on  both  sides.  From  the  rear, 
you  pass  to  the  sacristy  of  the  cathedral.  A  fiight 
of  stairs  in  front  will  lead  you  to  the  living  rooms 
of  the  archbishop  and  his  household,  and  to  the  large 
reception  room,  from  which  a  balcony  overlooks  the 
Plaza  de  Mayo. 

On  one  of  the  days  of  the  centennial  celebrations, 
the  archbishop  courteously  invited  the  foreign  dele- 
gates, and  officers  who  were  priests,  to  a  breakfast 
at  his  palace.  Among  the  guests,  we  noted  the  elo- 
quent bishop  of  Serena,  Chile,  and  a  number  of  naval 
chaplains,  notably  the  chaplain  of  the  steamer  that 
had  brought  the  Infanta  Isabel  from  Spain,  the  chap- 
lain of  the  Spanish  Corvet  Nautilus,   and   Chaplain 


MAUSOLEUM  OF  GEN.  SAN  MARTIN 


The  Church  in  Argentina  143 

Macdonald  of  our  own  South  Dakota  who  appeared 
in  the  United  States  uniform. 

There  are  nine  dioceses  in  Argentina,  namely 
Buenos  Aires,  Cordoba,  Salta,  San  Juan,  Parand, 
La  Plata,  Santa  Fe,  Tucuman,  and  Santiago  del  Es- 
tero.  The  hierarchy  consists  of  one  archbishop,  nine 
diocesan  bishops,  and  a  vicar-apostolic,  besides  several 
auxiliary  bishops. 

The  diocese  of  Cordoba  is  the  oldest  in  the  coun- 
try. It  was  established  in  1570  as  diocese  of  Tucu- 
man, with  the  residence  of  the  bishop  at  Santiago  del 
Estero  whence,  in  1699,  it  was  removed  to  Cordoba. 
The  present  dioceses  of  Tucuman  and  Santiago  del 
Estero  are  of  much  later  date. 

When,  in  1580,  the  parish  church  of  La  Santisima 
Trinidad,  in  Buenos  Aires,  the  present  cathedral,  was 
established  by  Juan  de  Garay,  founder  of  the  city,  the 
whole  region  of  the  La  Plata  was  subject  to  the  jur- 
isdiction of  the  bishop  of  Asuncion  in  Paraguay;  but, 
in  1620,  Buenos  Aires  was  made  a  diocese,  its  bishop 
becoming  suffragan  to  the  archbishop  of  Lima.  The 
see  remained  vacant  many  years,  after  the  separation 
from  Spain,  that  is  from  1812  to  1834.  In  1865,  it 
became  metropolitan. 

The  present  archbishop.  Dr.  Mariano  Antonio  Es- 
pinosa,  born  in  1844,  and  educated  at  Buenos  Aires, 
and  in  Eome,  was  transferred  from  the  see  of  La 
Plata  to  Buenos  Aires  in  1900.  He  is  a  courteous 
gentleman   of  conservative  tendencies. 

As  Church  and  state  are  united  in  Argentina,  the 
senate  nominates  the  candidates  to  the  episcopacy, 
and  the  names  are  forwarded  to  Home.  It  sometimes 
occurs,  that  the  candidate  is  rejected.  The  system  is 
surely  not  the  best  that  can  be  desired,  as  it  naturally 


144  Lands  of  the  Southern  Gross 

renders  bishops,  more  or  less,  subservient  to  the  state, 
and  timid,  especially  when  they  are  subsidized  by  the 
government.  This  is  one  of  those  evils  inseparable 
from  a  union  of  Church  and  state  which,  in  the  past, 
has  caused  no  end  of  trouble  to  the  Church. 

There  are  over  three  hundred  secular  priests  in  the 
diocese  of  Buenos  Aires,  besides  a  very  large  number 
of  others  belonging  to  religious  orders.  Each  diocese, 
except  La  Plata  and  the  small  diocese  of  Santiago  del 
Ester o,  has  its  own  seminary  in  which  young  men  are 
trained  for  the  priesthood.  The  students  of  La  Plata 
are  educated  in  the  Pio-Latino  College  in  Kome,  and 
at  the  seminary  of  Buenos  Aires,  which  is  in  charge 
of  the  Jesuit  Fathers. 

The  clergy  of  Argentina,  as  a  body,  bear  a  very 
good  reputation  for  conduct,  though  the  general  com- 
plaint one  hears  in  South  America  is  that  many  of 
the  foreign  secular  ecclesiastics,  led  to  America  more 
by  self  interest  than  by  zeal,  have  proved  themselves 
worthless.  For  this  reason,  the  bishops  have  become 
more  cautious  in  admitting  strangers. 

In  Argentina,  as  throughout  all  of  South  America, 
ecclesiastics  always  wear  the  cassock.  I  am,  how- 
ever, aware  of  the  fact  that,  in  Buenos  Aires  at  least, 
there  is  a  decided  wish  on  the  part  of  some  of  the 
clergy  to  discard  it  as  a  street  costume;  but  they  are, 
naturally,  opposed  by  the  older  conservative  element. 
There  is  no  doubt,  that  in  a  city  like  Buenos  Aires, 
seething  with  elements  hostile  to  the  Church,  the 
ecclesiastical  garb  is  somewhat  of.  a  hindrance. 
Though  it  may  protect  the  respectability  of  a  priest, 
it  also  hampers  his  freedom  of  action,  and  must  nec- 
essarily dampen  his  zeal.  In  the  United  States, 
priests  clad  in  secular  garb,  go  anywhere  and  every- 


The  Church  in  Argentina  145 

where.  They  penetrate,  unhampered,  into  every  nook 
and  corner  of  their  parish,  they  learn  to  know  their 
people.  I  am  afraid  that  this  personal  work  of  the 
ministry  that  brings  the  priest  in  touch  with  the  peo- 
ple is  a  great  desideratum  in  South  America,  for  the 
most  useful  part  of  a  priest's  life  does  not  lie  in  the 
routine  work  between  four  walls,  but  in  seeking  out 
the  lost  sheep  of  Israel.  It  is  clear,  that  in  a  large, 
modern  city,  like  Buenos  Aires,  where  the  cassock  is 
exposed  to  constant  ridicule,  and  where  a  very  large 
proportion  of  the  foreign  element  hates  the  very  sight 
of  it,  a  priest  becomes  timid,  and  must,  of  necessity, 
lack  that  fearless  temper  which  would  lead  him  to 
brave  every  obstacle,  and  go  into  the  enemy's  camp, 
if  it  is  necessary. 

A  priest's  life  in  Argentina,  especially  in  the 
"camp,"  is  a  very  lonely  one.  He  visits  little,  and 
must  always  be  on  his  guard  among  a  people  who 
watch  his  every  action.  Hence  a  condition  of  great 
isolation. 

This  animosity  manifested  toward  the  clergy,  on 
the  part  of  a  portion  of  the  foreign  element,  has,  as 
far  as  I  am  aw§re,  never  gone  to  the  extent  of  inter- 
fering with  the  public  exercise  of  religion.  I  attend- 
ed, on  May  26,  the  Corpus  Christi  procession  on  the 
Plaza  de  Mayo,  and  saw  no  evidences  of  disrespect. 
On  the  contrary,  there  were  many  signs  of  genuine 
piety,  in  spite  of  the  fact,  that,  owing  to  the  great 
crowds,  perfect  order  could  not  be  observed. 

Before  the  procession.  Bishop  Jara  of  Serena,  Chile, 
delivered  an  eloquent  discourse,  filled  with  patriot- 
ism; and,  at  the  completion  of  the  ceremonies,  the 
people,  wishing  to  hear  him  still  further,  began  to 
clamor  for  Jara,  until  he  came  out  upon  the  balcony 


146  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

of  the  archiepiscopal  palace,  and  delivered  another 
patriotic  oration. 

The  procession  was  accompanied  by  a  detachment 
of  soldiers,  with  military  music,  and  some  of  the  most 
prominent  gentlemen  of  the  city  took  part  in  it,  with 
candles  in  their  hand. 

In  spite  of  the  obstacles  which  union  of  Church  and 
state  produces,  there  is  consolation  for  the  former  in 
the  fact,  that  she  has  a  standing,  and  that,  officially, 
she  is  held  in  honor.  State  celebrations  are,  as  a  rule, 
accompanied  by  religious  ceremonies,  and  the  bishops 
are  great  dignitaries.  For  instance,  on  May  25,  the 
great  anniversary,  and  culminating  day  of  the  fes- 
tivities, the  celebrations  began  with  a  Te  Deum  in  the 
cathedral,  in  presence  of  the  authorities  of  the  Ke- 
public,  the  Infanta  Isabel,  the  president  of  Chile,  and 
the  foreign  delegates. 

As  you  proceed  southward  from  the  Plaza  de  Mayo, 
along  the  Calle  Defensa,  you  will  meet  with  two 
large  churches,  to  each  of  which  a  monastery  is  at- 
tached. The  first  is  that  of  St.  Francis,  the  other 
of  St.  Dominic.  With  the  exception  of  the  Bene- 
dictine monks,  that  spent  some  time  in  Hispaniola  in 
the  days  of  Columbus,  the  Franciscans  and  the  Domin- 
icans were  the  earliest  missionaries  of  the  New  World. 
We  find  them  everywhere  in  the  colonies. 

Franciscan  Friars,  it  is  supposed,  came  to  the  La 
Plata  with  Mendoza,  and,  a  few  years  later,  they  ac- 
companied Cabrera  to  the  same  region.  In  the  latter 
half  of  the  sixteenth  century,  Franciscan  religious  set- 
tled in  the  vast  region  known  as  Tucuman,  now  com- 
prised in  the  Argentine  Kepublic,  a  region  which  was, 
afterward,  evangelized  by  that  great  Franciscan 
Friar  of  Lima,  San  Francisco  Solano.     We  find  the 


The  Church  in  Argentina  14:T 

Franciscan  monastery  in  Buenos  Aires  in  the  very  be- 
ginning of  the  seventeenth  century.  Their  second 
church  was  erected  in  1602  on  the  site  where  their 
chapel  of  St.  Koch  now  stands,  and  the  present  large 
edifice,  forming  an  angle  with  the  chapel  of  St.  Rocli, 
was  dedicated  on  May  25,  1726.  The  large  and  splen- 
did Renaissance  church  has  recently  been  renovated 
by  the  donations,  as  I  am  told,  of  a  wealthy  Argen- 
tine lady. 

In  our  country,  as  we  know,  churches  are  built  by 
the  contributions  of  the  faithful.  Whence  comes  the 
money  for  the  same  purpose  in  Argentina?  First, 
we  must  remember,  that  many  of  the.  churches  date 
from  the  Spanish  period.  For  what  concerns  the 
building  of  new,  and  the  reparation  of  old  edifices, 
some  have  been  put  up  by  the  government,  while  the 
work  is  done,  to  a  great  extent,  by  private  individuals, 
as  well  as  by  general  contributions.  Although  priests 
generally  are  not  supported  by  the  government,  I 
don't  think  that,  in  Argentina,  they  have  any  difficulty 
to  live,  for  Argentine  Catholics  are  generous.  As  a 
rule,  the  Church  bears  the  mark  of  material  prosperity, 
without  the  struggle  for  existence  it  has  in  some  coun- 
tries. 

As  an  instance  of  Argentine  generosity,  the  fact 
was  related  to  me  that  when  the  Liga  Social,  a  society 
on  the  order  of  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Associa- 
tion, had  been  established,  one  lady  promoted  its 
interests  with  an  annual  donation  of  something  like 
115,000. 

The  priest's  ministry  is  in  itself  a  means  of  sub- 
sistence, not  only  from  collections  but,  also,  from  the 
offerings  of  the  people  for  baptisms,  marriages,  and 
interments. 


148  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

Funerals  in  Buenos  Aires  take  place  usually  from 
twenty-four  to  thirty-six  hours  after  death.  Embalm- 
ing is  rare,  except  in  the  case  of  prominent  individ- 
uals. As  a  rule,  it  is  now  cheaper  to  bury  the  dead, 
than  it  was  at  one  time,  owing  to  increasing  com- 
petition among  impresas  funehres,  that  is  burial  com- 
panies, or,  as  we  should  say,  undertaking  establish- 
ments. A  fairly  good  funeral,  with  services  in  the 
church,  hearse  with  four  horses,  and  half  a  dozen  car- 
riages would  cost  about  |300.00  Argentine  money. 
Some  funerals  are  conducted  with  great  pomp,  much 
money  being  expended,  among  other  things,  for  the 
choir.  It  is,  also,  customary  to  have  many  Masses 
said,  at  the  time  of  the  funeral,  and,  also,  on  the  an- 
niversaries. Sometimes  every  altar  in  the  church  is 
engaged  for  Masses  for  the  same  person.  Not  only 
funerals,  but,  also,  anniversaries  are  announced  in  the 
newspapers,  the  friends  of  the  family  generally  as- 
sisting. 

The  proceeds  of  a  public  lottery,  authorized  by  the 
government,  are  employed,  among  other  charities,  for 
the  building  of  churches. 

The  Franciscan  church  in  Buenos  Aires  glories  in 
the  possession  of  the  body  of  Father  Luis  Bolanos, 
one  of  the  early  missionaries  who  died  in  the  odor 
of  sanctity,  and  whose  canonization  is  in  process.  In 
one  of  the  courtyards  of  the  monastery,  a  tree  is  shown 
which  is  said  to  have  been  planted  by  Father  Bolanos. 
He  died  early  in  the  seventeenth  century.^ 

The  Friars  in  South  America,  though  by  far  not 
so  active  with  the  pen  as  their  predecessors  of  the 
early   colonization   period   were,   still   have  men   dis- 


1  Dos  Heroes  de  la  Conquista.    Fray  Pacifico  Otero.    Buenos 
Aires,  1905. 


The  Chv/rch  in  Argentina    '  149 

tinguished  by  their  learning  and  writings.  In  their 
convent  at  Buenos  Aires,  one  of  the  number,  now  in 
the  prime  of  life,  is  Fray  Pacifico  Otero,  a  man  dis- 
tinguished as  a  preacher,  and  for  his  historical  knowl- 
edge. He  is  the  author  of  numerous  works,  dealing 
with  the  early  history  of  the  La  Plata  countries. 

The  other  church  to  which  I  have  referred  is  the 
Basilica  of  the  Holy  Kosary  which  belongs  to  the 
order  of  St.  Dominic.  The  Dominicans  who  were  the 
earliest  friars  in  Peru,  passed  from  that  country  to 
Chile,  whence  those  came  who,  in  1604,  founded  the 
monastery  in  Buenos  Aires  on  the  present  site.  The 
church  is  of  later  date.  When  Kivadavia  was  presi- 
dent of  Argentina,  in  the  third  decade  of  the  nine- 
teenth century,  a  number  of  religious  orders  were 
expelled  from  the  country,  and,  with  them,  the  Dom- 
inicans, and  the  Mercedarians  whose  old  monastery 
may  still  be  seen,  near  the  church  of  La  Merced.  What 
ever  may  have  been  Bivadavia's  motive,  it  appears 
that  the  vicar-general  of  the  diocese  was  in  harmony 
with  him.  This  was  the  period,  following  the  revo- 
lution, when  the  see  was  vacant.  The  old  library  of 
the  monastery  was  scattered,  and  it  is  said  that  some 
of  its  books  are  now  in  the  Museo  Mitre  while  others, 
no  doubt,  are  in  the  national  library.  The  Dominicans 
afterward  returned  to  Buenos  Aires,  and  a  portion  of 
the  old  monastery  is  still  occupied  by  them.  They 
possess  ten   conventual  establishments  in  Argentina. 

On  the  little  square,  outside  their  church,  stands 
a  splendid  monument  to  the  Argentine  hero,  Belgrano, 
who,  in  1806,  commanded  the  city  militia  that  helped 
to  expel  the  British  from  Buenos  Aires.  Having  taken 
part  in  the  war  of  the  revolution,  figuring  as  one  of 
its  greatest  heroes,  he  died  at  Buenos  Aires  in  1820, 


150  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

in  his  fifty-first  year.  His  name  is  among  the  Argen- 
tine immortals,  and  preserved  by  an  important  suburb 
of  the  city. 

The  present  church  of  Santo  Domingo  was  con- 
structed in  1776.  The  canon  balls  fastened  into  the 
walls  of  the  towers  are  relics  of  the  British  invasion 
of  1807. 

The  church  of  St.  Ignatius,  203  Calle  Bolivar,  be- 
longed to  the  Jesuits  before  their  expulsion,  toward 
the  end  of  the  eighteenth  century,  when  they  were 
driven  out,  in  the  most  cruel  manner,  from  all  the 
Spanish  possessions.  It  is  now  the  parish  church  of 
the  '^Cathedral  South."  The  present  pastor.  Canon 
Jose  Pacifico  Alcobet,  has  been  attached  forty  years 
to  this  church. 

A  fine  old  cloister  runs  along  the  church,  which  is 
built  in  the  Jesuit  Kenaissance  style;  but  the  inter- 
ior has  undergone  much  restoration.  The  building 
back  of  the  church,  now  the  University  of  Buenos 
Aires,  and  in  a  part  of  which  the  national  museum 
existed  until  quite  recently,  formed  a  portion  of  the 
old  Jesuit  college.  The  other  portion  has  been  de- 
stroyed, to  make  room  for  an  educational  institution. 

All  these  churches,  Franciscan,  Dominican,  and 
Jesuit,  with  that  of  La  Merced,  and  a  number  of 
others  are  in  the  old  part  of  the  city. 

Another  old  Jesuit  church  is  that  of  San  Telmo  in 
the  Calle  Humberto  I.,  of  which  a  priest  of  Irish 
descent,  Monsignor  MacDonnell,  is  the  actual  pastor. 
When  the  Jesuits  had  been  expelled,  it  passed  over 
to  the  Bethlemites,  an  order  founded  in  Spanish 
America.  These  were  expelled  by  Kivadavia,  and  San 
Telmo  is  now  a  parish  church.  The  clergy  house  was 
the  monastery  of  the  Jesuits,  and,  later  of  the  Bethle- 
mites. 


The  Church  in  Argentina  151 

Other  parish  churches  in  old  Buenos  Aires,  dating 
from  the  colonial  period,  are  the  Concepcion  in  the 
Calle  Independencia,  No.  904,  Monserrat,  Calle  Bel- 
granOy  1152,  and  San  Nicolas  de  Bari,  Calle  Pelle- 
grini, 404.  The  well-known  Monsignor  Orzali,  cura 
of  San  Miguel,  is  a  progressive  man,  and  an  admirer 
of  the  United  States  which  he  visited  in  1903,  while 
chaplain  of  the  school  ship  Sarmiento.  He  has  given 
up  his  impressions  of  our  country  in  a  little  volume, 
published  in  Buenos  Aires  in  1904  as  Cuarto  Yiaje, 
etc.,  "Fourth  Voyage  of  Instruction  of  the  School- 
Frigate  Sarmiento."  Mgr.  Orzali  has  introduced  into 
his  church  our  American  custom  of  preaching  five- 
minute  sermons  at  the .  Masses  on  Sundays. 

Another  priest  who  much  admires  the  methods  of 
the  Catholic  Church  in  this  country  is  the  Kev.  Sebas- 
tian L.  Monteverde,  cura  of  the  church  of  the  Immac- 
ulate Conception  of  Belgrano.  This  edifice,  a  rotunda, 
is  one  of  the  finest  in  the  city. 

The  Jesuit  church  of  San  Salvador,  attached  to  a 
large  college,  is  one  of  the  great  centres  of  piety, 
and,  as  Jesuit  churches  generally  are,  quite  popular. 

The,  Fathers  of  the  Divine  Word,  belonging  to  a 
religious  congregation  founded  at  Steyl  in  Holland, 
have  erected  a  large,  and  beautiful  Byzantine  church 
at  Palermo  where  they  minister  to  a  congregation 
which   is   largely   Italian. 

The  little  church  of  the  Passion  ists,  whose  hospital- 
ity I  enjoyed  for  nearly  two  weeks,  was  originally 
intended  for  English  speaking  Catholics,  but,  as  the 
centre  of  population  has  shifted,  it  is  now  employed 
for  all,  though  sermons  are  still  preached  in  English. 
The  Passionists,  like  the  Eedemptorists  and  others 
in  South  America,  devote  themselves  greatly  to  the 


152  Lands  of  the  Southern  Gross 

work  of  giving  missions  throughout  the  country.  On 
Sundays,  priests  from  the  Passionist  monastery,  de- 
liver discourses  in  English  at  a  few  churches,  like  San 
Miguel,  San  Nicolas,  and  the  church  of  Belgrano. 

One  of  the  finest  churches  in  Argentina,  in  fact  1 
am  not  sure,  but  that  it  may  rank  as  the  finest,  is 
that  of  Our  Lady  of  Lujan.  Lujan  is  for  Argentina 
what  Lourdes  is  for  France,  and  Guadalupe  for  Mex- 
ico, the  place  of  pilgrimage,  with  the  national  shrine. 
A  small,  provincial  town,  it  lies  about  an  hour  and  a 
half  from  Buenos  Aires  on  the  Western  railroad.  It 
is  the  Mecca  of  pious  Argentinians. 

Among  the  many  distinguished  persons  who  have 
visited  Lujan,  none  is  more  so  than  Pope  Pius  IX. 
When,  in  the  early  part  of  the  last  century,  he  ac- 
companied the  nuncio  to  Chile,  as  auditor,  his  route 
took  him  from  Buenos  Aires  westward  across  the 
Andes.  In  those  days,  a  delegate  from  the  Holy  See 
was  not  a  welcome  visitor  to  Argentina,  and  the  nun- 
cio, with  his  suite,  was  obliged  to  move  on.  They 
stopped  over  one  night  at  Lujan  on  their  westward 
journey. 

The  old,  Spanish  sanctuary,  built  in  1754  has  in 
part  disappeared  to  make  room  for  the  present  magni- 
ficent Gothic  edifice,  the  corner  stone  of  which  was 
laid  in  1887,  and  which  is  far  from  being  completed. 
The  front  is  temporarily  enclosed  with  boards,  and 
the  work  is  continuing.  Unlike  most  South  Ameri- 
can churches,  that  of  Lujan  is  built  in  the  purest 
Gothic  style.  Its  massive  and  austere  interior  trans- 
ports you  in  imagination  to  one  of  the  grand,  Old 
World  cathedrals  of  the  Middle  Ages.  A  unique,  and 
original  feature  is  the  Lady  Chapel,  where  the  mirac- 
ulous image  is  preserved.    Built  on  immense  columns, 


The  Church  in  Argentina  153 

it  rises  above  the  sacristy,  behind  the  main  altar,  an 
aerial  sanctuary,  to  which  a  double  flight  of  broad 
stairs  admits.  The  Lazarist  Fathers  who  live  in  the 
adjacent  monastery  have  charge  of  the  basilica. 

It  was  a  rainy  Sunday  morning,  when  in  company 
with  Father  Dominic  of  the  Passionists,  I  arrived  at 
Lujan.  A  short  drive  from  the  station  brought  us 
to  the  church.  It  was  a  gala  day  for  the  place,  as  the 
Infanta  Isabel  was  expected. 

On  a  recent  visit  to  Europe,  Bishop  Jara  of  Serena, 
Chile,  had  taken  nineteen  banners  from  South  Amer- 
ica to  Rome,  to  be  blessed  by  the  Pope,  afterward  pre- 
senting them  to  the  shrine  of  Our  Lady  of  the  Pillar 
at  Saragoza.  In  return,  the  Infanta  was  the  bearer 
of  a  beautiful  banner  of  Spain  sent  by  the  archbishop 
of  Saragoza  to  Our  Lady  of  Lujan.  This  was  the 
morning  of  the  presentation. 

Buenos  Aires  had  sent  its  pious,  or  curious  crowds 
to  attend  the  ceremony,  and  the  side  aisles  were  grad- 
ually filling  up,  people  seizing  upon  every  vantage 
ground,  and  standing  upon  the  seats,  to  obtain  a  good 
view. 

The  Infanta  arrived  about  eleven,  with  the  arch- 
bishop of  Buenos  Aires,  the  bishop  of  La  Plata  in 
whose  diocese  Lujan  is  situated,  the  bishop  of  Serena, 
a  Spanish  general,  the  minister  of  Spain,  a  lady  in 
waiting,  and  a  number  of  other  persons.  On  arriving 
at  the  church,  the  Infanta  and  her  suite  occupied 
seats  immediately  in  front  of  the  sanctuary,  and  the 
Mass  began.  After  Mass,  the  eloquent  Jara  delivered 
a  discourse,  to  accept  the  banner  for  the  sanctuary 
of  Lujan.  It  was  brief,  as,  owing  to  a  severe  cold, 
the  bishop  had  nearly  lost  his  voice.  As  I  stood  near 
him,  in  the  sanctuary,  I  distinctly  caught,  among  other 
things,  the  following  sentence: 


154  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

"Should  ever  a  nation  that  is  not  of  our  race  attack 
that  banner,  let  us  all  rally  to  its  support." 

Official  Buenos  Aires  was  conspicuous  for  its  ab- 
sence on  the  occasion.  There  were  no  soldiers,  nor 
even  policemen,  as  far  as  I  could  see.  The  Infanta 
was  received,  and  escorted  to  the  station  by  a  primi- 
tive local  band  of  music,  and,  as  she  walked  down  the 
aisle  to  leave  the  church,  the  crowd  pressed  around 
her  so  closely,  that  I  wondered  why  so  few  precautions 
were  taken.  In  spite  of  the  fact,  that  a  representative 
of  one  of  the  most  punctilious  courts  of  Europe  was 
the  central  figure  of  the  occasion,  the  affair  was  quite 
democratic.  There  was  no  admission  to  the  church 
by  ticket.  All  God's  children  were  admitted  to  God's 
house,  and,  though  there  seemed  to  be  a  lack  of  order, 
the  poor  were  not  made  to  feel  that  they  were  nobody, 
and  the  confusion  was  without  disturbance. 

After  the  ceremony,  the  Infanta  repaired  to  the 
house  of  the  Lazarists,  where  she  registered  her  name 
as  ''Isabel  de  Borbon,  Infanta  de  Espana."  Thus 
passed  into  history  one  of  the  features  of  the  Argen 
tine  celebration  of  the  anniversary  of  independence. 

Besides  their  work  in  the  parochial  ministry,  in 
teaching,  and  in  giving  missions,  priests  in  Argentina, 
especially  members  of  the  religious  orders,  labor,  also, 
for  the  Indian  tribes.  Thus  the  Salesian  Fathers  de- 
vote themselves  to  Patagonia,  one  of  their  number 
being  Vicar-Apostolic.  The  Fathers  of  the  Divine 
Word  are  in  the  north  of  the  country,  in  the  provinces 
of  Misiones  and  Corrientes,  as  well  as  in  Paraguay. 

In  spite  of  all  the  churches  in  Buenos  Aires,  and 
of  the  labors  of  the  priests,  in  Argentina,  and  in 
South  America  generally,  there  is  much  irreligion. 
A   considerable   number   are   actually   hostile   to   the 


The  Church  in  Argentina  155 

Church,  while  a  very  large  proportion,  though  profes- 
sedly Catholic,  are  indifferent,  as  far  as  the  practice 
of  religion  is  concerned.  The  infidel  literature  of  the 
eighteenth  century,  secret  organizations,  bad  example, 
and  many  other  causes  have  produced  this  result. 

We  must,  however,  give  credit  to  the  Argentine  clergy 
for  not  compromising  with  the  irreligious  spirit,  even 
when  it  manifests  itself  in  high  quarters.  As  an  in- 
stance, I  may  cite  the  Revista  Eclesiastica  del  Arzo- 
hispado  de  Buenos  Aires,  an  official,  and  very  clever 
review,  published  under  the  auspices  of  the  archbishop. 
In  one  of  its  numbers,  among  its  ecclesiastical  notes, 
it  cites  the  Puehlo,  to  show  the  anti-Catholic  spirit 
of  a  high  public  official,  who,  when  a  committee  of 
ladies  called  upon  him,  to  petition  for  the  establish- 
ment of  a  bishopric  in  Kosario,  told  them  that  he 
would  in  every  way  oppose  the  measure,  because  Eos- 
ario  progressed  better  without  a  bishop  and  "the 
plague  of  clericalism." 

Among  the  many  societies,  religious,  social,  and 
charitable,  that  witness  to  the  activity  of  the  Argen- 
tine Church,  mention  should  here  be  made  of  the  Cir- 
culos  de  Ohreros,  or  Workingmen's  Societies,  founded 
by  the  Eedemptorist,  Father  Grote,  and  spread 
throughout  the  Kepublic.  The  object  of  the  society 
is  to  promote  the  material  and  spiritual  welfare  of 
the  working  classes,  on  the  principles  of  Christian 
social  economy.  The  means  employed  are  mutual  suc- 
cor, in  the  case  of  sickness,  the  foundation  of  primary 
schools  for  children,  and  of  night  schools  for  adults, 
the  creation  of  employment  agencies,  the  promotion  of 
useful  recreation,  and  the  convening  of  workingmen's 
congresses.  From  what  I  could  learn,  these  circles 
are  very  flourishing,  with  the  encouragement  of  the 
clergy,  under  the  spiritual  direction  of  Father  Grote. 


156  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

There  are,  at  least,  thirteen  circles  in  the  capital,  and 
fifty  in  the  provinces.  I  understand,  also,  that  the 
order  of  Knights  of  Columbus,  so  flourishing  in  the 
United  States,  had  been  established  at  Buenos  Aires 
with  the  sanction  of  the  ecclesiastical  authorities,  but 
that  the  permission  was,  afterward,  withdrawn,  so 
that  the  attempt  came  to  naught. 

There  are  a  few  English,  American,  and  German 
Protestant  churches  in  Buenos  Aires,  for,  in  spite  of 
the  official  character  of  the  Catholic  Church,  all  relig- 
ions are  permitted  in  the  Kepublic,  and  no  one  inter- 
feres with  the  exercise  of  any.  The  opinion  in  Cath- 
olic circles  throughout  South  America  is,  that  the 
Protestants  do  not  make  sincere  converts  out  of  the 
Latins,  but,  that,  by  drawing  them  away  from  the 
Catholic  Church,  they  make  them  bad  Christians,  and 
indifferent  to  all  religion.  From  what  I  could  see, 
the  South  American  clergy  pays  little  heed  to  the 
activity  of  the  Protestants.  The  Methodist  Church  in 
Buenos  Aires  calls  itself  the  American  Church. 

Among  Protestant  activities,  I  may  also  mention 
the  American  Bible  Society,  the  Young  Men's  Chris- 
tian Association,  and  the  Salvation  Army.  There  are, 
also,  at  least  two  homes  for  seamen,  under  Protestant 
auspices,  the  one  German,  and  the  other  English. 


Chapter  XI. 
EDUCATION   IN  ARGENTINA. 

Education  in  the  Colonial  Period — Public  Schools — Secondary  and 
Higher  Education — University  of  La  Plata — The  Museum 
— Astronomical  Observatory — Cordoba — Catholic  Educa- 
tion— Parochial  Schools — Catholic  University — Protestant 
Educational  Work — Schools  of  Rev.  C.  Morris. 

In  the  colonial  period,  education  was  mainly  in  the 
hands  of  priests,  the  Jesuits  being  especially  promi- 
nent. Schools,  colleges,  and  universities  arose  in  every 
country  of  Spanish  America,  for  the  natives,  as  well 
as  for  the  children  of  the  Spaniards,  under  the  patron- 
age of  Spain,  and  of  the  Church.  With  the  expulsion 
of  the  Jesuits,  Spanish  America  lost  its  greatest  edu- 
cators, and  some  of  its  most  learned  men. 

With  the  independence  of  the  colonies,  the  state, 
as  far  as  constant  revolution  would  permit,  began  to 
take  an  interest  in  the  work  of  education,  and,  today, 
especially  in  Chile  and  Argentina,  that  interest  is 
decidedly  great. 

The  Argentine  government,  as  well  as  other  South 
American  countries,  has  done  much  for  education,  and 
public  schools  are  spreading  everywhere,  besides  many 
normal  schools  for  teachers.  Between  the  ages  of 
six  and  fourteen,  primary  education  in  Argentina  is 
compulsory,  and  gratuitous.  In  1909,  the  federal  gov- 
ernment maintained  4,744  primary  schools  with  168,- 
534  pupils,  and  18,061  teachers,  while  the  provinces 
supported  a  great  many  more.    The  entire  number  of 

157 


158  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

children  of  school  age  in  the  Kepublic  amounted  to 
1,200,212. 

Secondary  education  is  almost  gratuitous,  only  a 
small  fee  being  charged  for  registration.  There  are 
sixteen  lyceums,  and  thirty-five  normal  schools  in  the 
larger  cities.^ 

Centres  of  higher  education  are  in  the  university  of 
Buenos  Aires,  in  that  of  Cordoba,  founded  in  1612,  in 
the  National  University  of  La  Plata,  and  in  the  pro- 
vincial universities  of  Santa  Fe  and  Parana.  I  shall 
here  especially  refer  to  the  University  of  La  Plata, 
as  I  am  better  acquainted  with  it.  In  doing  so,  I 
must  write  of  the  city  itself. 

The  city  of  Buenos  Aires  is  the  capital  of  the 
Argentine  Kepublic,  but  not  of  the  province  of  that 
name.  As  New  York  is  the  most  important  city  of 
the  United  States,  and  yet  not  the  capital  of  the 
state  of  which  it  bears  the  name,  Albany  having  that 
distinction,  thus  the  province  of  Buenos  Aires  has 
its  own  capital.  The  name  Buenos  Aires  is  older  than 
the  great  city  on  the  Rio  de  La  Plata,  for  it  was 
given  by  the  early  Spaniards  to  the  region  as  '^ Santa 
Maria  de  Buenos  Aires,"  "Our  Lady  of  Good  Climate," 
in  memory  of  a  far-off  shrine  in  Spain. 

However,  it  is  only  of  recent  years,  that  the  pro- 
vince of  Buenos  Aires  has  had  its  own  capital,  in  the 
city  of  La  Plata.  La  Plata,  unlike  so  many  other 
places,  in  the  New  World,  proceeded  Minerva  like,  full- 
fledged  from  the  head  of  its  founder,  about  twenty-five 
years  ago.  Buenos  Aires  was  declared  the  capital  of 
the  Argentine  Republic  in  1880.  On  November  19, 
1882,  La  Plata  was  founded,  to  serve  as  the  capital 
of  the  province,  and,  two  years  later,  the  provincial 


1  Bulletin  American  Republics.    July,  1910,  p.  23. 


Education  in  Argentina  159 

authorities  moved  to  the  new  city.  The  original 
ground  was  within  the  limits  of  a  large  estancia,  or 
cattle  farm,  donated  by  the  owner  for  the  purpose. 
The  founder,  who  is  still  alive,  and  whom  I  had  the 
pleasure  of  meeting  in  Buenos  Aires,  is  Dr.  Dardo 
Kocha. 

La  Plata  is  about  eighteen  miles  southeast  of 
Buenos  Aires,  with  a  population  of  90,000,  and  com- 
pletely modern,  with  exceedingly  wide  streets.  It  has 
the  distinction  of  being  the  first  city  in  South  America, 
to  introduce  electric  cars,  but,  owing  to  a  financial 
crisis,  I  think  the  one  that  struck  the  whole  country 
on  the  bankruptcy  of  Baring  Brothers,  the  service 
was  suspended,  and  when  I  visited  La  Plata,  only 
horse  cars  were  running.  As  the  seat  of  government, 
and  of  a  university,  it  is  not  commercial,  but  rather 
academic  in  tone.  Quiet  prevails  throughout,  and, 
after  dark,  it  is  dead.  For  business,  and  for  amuse- 
ment, people  must  resort  to  Buenos  Aires. 

La  Plata  is  filled  with  splendid  public  buildings, 
that  give  an  air  of  distinction  to  the  city.  Though 
laid  out  on  a  different  plan,  and  being  only  the  capi- 
tal of  a  province,  it  may  be  called  the  Washington 
of  Argentina,  on  a  small  scale. 

The  first  of  these  buildings  is  the  government  house, 
like  the  rest,  built,  more  or  less,  in  classic  style,  modi- 
fied by  later  Kenaissance  features.  The  central  part 
of  the  building  projects  outward  between  two  wings, 
with  an  arched  entrance,  beneath  an  elevated  Ionic 
portico.  The  governor  of  the  state  who  received  the 
Americanists  in  the  large  reception  hall  was  Colonel 
Jos6  Inocencio  Arias. 

The  palace  of  the  legislature  is  an  imposing  build- 
ing in  the  same  style,  with  its  two  beautiful  legislative 
halls,  one  for  the  house  of  delegates,  and  the  other 


160  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

for  the  senate.  Other  imposing  buildings  are  the  court 
house,  the  city  hall,  and  the  residence  of  the  governor, 
besides  several  large  schools. 

The  most  important  edifices  in  La  Plata,  and  those 
which  will  particularly  interest  the  visitor  belong  to 
the  University,  which  was  founded  in  1905,  at  the  time, 
when  Dr.  Manuel  Quintana  was  president  of  the  Eepub- 
lic.  The  courses  were  inaugurated  in  March  of  the 
following  year,  with  1,012  students.  That  number  has 
since  been  increased  to  over  2,000.  The  buildings  of 
the  university,  with  their  adjacent  grounds  and  gard- 
ens, are  scattered  over  the  city.  They  were  put  up  at 
a  cost  of  nineteen  million  Argentine  dollars.  Their 
number  is,  at  least,  eleven,  devoted,  as  they  are,  to 
the  sections  of  social  and  juridicial  science,  pedagogy, 
philosophy  and  letters,  mathematics,  physics  and 
astronomy,  natural  sciences,  with  geography,  chemis- 
try, and  pharmacy,  besides  agriculture,  and  veterinary 
science.    The  university  has,  also,  a  school  of  design. 

To  the  preparatory  department  belong  a  national 
college,  with  over  500  pupils,  a  college  for  young 
ladies,  with  over  200,  and  a  graduate  school,  belonging 
to  the  section  of  pedagogy. 

The  buildings  are  all  in  the  Renaissance  style,  the 
large  patio  in  the  main  building  being  particularly 
noticeable.  With  a  beautifully  tiled  floor,  it  is  sur- 
rounded by  a  tower,  and  upper  gallery,  with  columns 
respectively  of  the  Doric  and  Ionic  orders.  The  spac- 
ious, and  elegantly  furnished  reception  hall  of  the 
president  breathes  an  air  of  academic  tranquility,  in- 
spired by  classic  taste.  In  this  building  is,  also,  the 
main  library,  with  40,000  volumes  which  is,  at  the 
same  time,  for  the  use  of  the  public.  The  various 
departments  have  their  special  libraries,  with  about 
30,000  volumes. 


MUSf^UM^   I.A   PU\TA 


Education  in  Argentina  161 

One  of  the  most  aesthetic  of  the  buildings,  by  the 
chaste  lines  of  the  centre,  and  its  rather  unique  semi- 
circular terminations,  is  the  one  devoted  to  the  natural 
sciences,  and  design.  The  museum  is,  also,  in  this 
building.  A  beautiful,  and  shady  walk  between  tall, 
slender  trees,  clustering  forest-like  together,  leads  up 
to  it. 

The  first  floor  of  the  building  is  devoted  to  the 
splendid  museum,  while  one  wing  of  the  upper  floor 
contains  the  library,  and  the  other,  the  section  of  the 
fine  arts.  The  vestibule  is  a  circular  hall,  beneath  a 
graceful  dome,  surrounded  by  slender  pillars. 

The  collection  in  the  museum  consists  principally 
of  geological,  paleontological,  anthropological,  and 
ethnological  specimens,  with  a  department  of  zoology. 
Its  main  interest  lies  in  the  fact,  that  so  many  of  the 
specimens  are  South  American,  a  fact  that  renders 
it  invaluable  for  a  study  of  the  anthropology,  and 
ethnology  of  the  La  Plata  regions.  The  collection  of 
skulls  must  be  one  of  the  best  in  the  world.  Dr. 
Kobert  Lehman  n-Nitsche,  curator  of  the  anthropolog- 
ical section,  was  the  secretary-general  of  the  Inter- 
national Congress  of  Americanists.  To  the  small  de- 
partment of  archaeology,  or  rather  history,  belongs  an 
interesting  collection  of  relics  from  the  Jesuit  mis- 
sions in  Paraguay.  This  beautiful  museum,  undoubt- 
edly, reflects  great  credit  on  Argentina. 

From  the  museum,  we  may  proceed  to  the  astrono- 
mical observatory  in  charge  of  Eev.  Fortunato  Devoto, 
whom  we  had  the  pleaesure  of  meeting,  at  the  church 
of  El  Socorro  in  Buenos  Aires.  The  grounds  of  the 
observatory  contain  a  considerable  number  of  build- 
ings, wherein  a  variety  of  instruments  assist  the 
astronomers  in  their  study  of  the  heavens.  The  two 
most  striking,  are  the  circular  edifices,  the  one  serv- 


162  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

ing  for  the  reflector,  and  the  other  for  the  great  equa- 
torial telescope.  The  meridian  instrument,  with  a 
diameter  of  sixty  centimetres,  was  made  by  Gautier 
of  Paris  for  the  Sultan  of  Turkey,  Abdul  Hamid,  in 
1889.  As  the  Ottoman  government  failed  in  its  pay- 
ments, the  instrument  was  put  on  exhibition  at  the 
Paris  exposition,  and,  finally,  purchased  by  the  pro- 
vince of  Buenos  Aires. 

An  interesting  instrument  is  that  intended  for  the 
study  of  seismology,  or  the  science  of  earthquakes.  It 
is  kept  in  a  subterranean  apartmenT. 

Besides  this  observatory  of  La  Plata,  Argentina 
possesses  another  that  is  well  known,  at  Cordoba. 
Both  are  under  the  direction  of  Americans,  Senor 
Devoto  having  had  charge  of  the  one  at  La  Plata, 
only  during  an  interim. 

Before  bidding  farewell  to  the  University,  I  wish 
to  mention  the  gymnasium,  a  tasteful  building  in  Gre- 
cian style,  in  the  form  of  a  temple,  around  which 
runs  a  Doric  colonnade.  On  the  grounds  you  will, 
also,  find  a  field  for  ball  games,  and  a  swimming 
pool. 

The  system  of  co-education  exists  at  the  university 
of  La  Plata,  and  a  certain  number  of  ladies  follow  the 
courses,  and  take  degrees. 

Undoubtedly  the  institution  serves  greatly  to  ad- 
vance the  cause  of  science  in  the  Kepublic,  but  I  doubt 
whether  it  will  advance  the  cause  of  religion.  Our 
universities  of  today,  unlike  those  of  the  Middle  Ages, 
have  a  tendency  to  ignore  revealed  religion,  if  they 
are  not  absolutely  hostile  to  it.  However,  at  La  Plata, 
as  elsewhere,  much  depends  on  the  men  at  the  head, 
and  on  the  teaching  corps. 

The  city  of  La  Plata  was  erected  into  a  diocese  in 
1897,  when  it  was  separated  from  Buenos  Aires.    The 


Education  in  Argentina  163 

first  bishop  was  Monsignor  Espinosa,  at  present  arch- 
bishop of  Buenos  Aires,  and  the  present  incumbent  of 
the  see  is  Dr.  Juan  Nepomuceno  Terrero,  whom  I  shall 
always  remember,  on  account  of  his  gentle  manners, 
and  his  exquisite  politeness. 

The  province  of  Buenos  Aires  is  the  most  populous, 
and  the  most  important  of  the  whole  country,  for 
which  it  is,  naturally,  the  railroad  centre,  with  nearly 
6.000  miles  of  railroad.  The  northeastern  section,  as 
far  as  Rosario  in  the  north,  and  for  some  distance 
westward,  toward  Cordoba,  is  dotted  with  railroad  sta- 
tions, and  villages;  but  the  southern  portion  of  the 
province  is  comparatively  uninhabited,  except  along 
the  railroads.  The  cities  of  greatest  importance  are 
Buenos  Aires,  La  Plata,  and  Bahia  Blanca  in  the 
extreme  south,  with  its  seaport. 

Argentina  also  possesses  a  number  of  agricultural 
colleges,  and  various  other  special  institutes. 

It  is  striking,  that  in  a  country  where  the  great 
majority  of  the  people  profess,  nominally  at  least,  one 
faith,  religion  should  be  excluded  from  the  curriculum 
of  education,  and  yet  such  is  the  case  in  the  public 
schools  of  Argentina,  although  the  clergyman,  with 
his  catechism,  is  tolerated  after  school  hours. 

If  the  Catholic  Church  in  the  Argentine  Republic 
wishes  to  prevent  its  children  from  growing  up  in 
religious  ignorance,  the  parochial  school  system  will 
have  to  increase.  To  its  credit  it  must  be  said,  that 
Catholic  education  is  widespread,  and  that  serious 
efforts  are  made  to  increase  the  education  facilities 
for  the  poor.  The  number  of  colleges  and  schools  for 
both  sexes,  in  charge  of  religious  orders,  or  of  other 
Catholic  teachers  in  the  capital,  as  well  as  in  the 
provinces,  is  too  great  for  me  to  count  them.  The 
Jesuits,  Christian   Brothers,  Salesian  Fathers,  Fran- 


164  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

ciscans,  Dominicans,  Fathers  of  the  Divine  Word, 
Ladies  of  the  Sacred  Heart,  Sisters  of  the  Sainte 
Union  des  Sacr^s  Coeurs,  Sisters  of  Mercy,  and  others 
conduct  educational  work  throughout  the  country. 
There  are  three  parochial  schools  for  boys,  and  one  for 
girls  in  the  city  of  Buenos  Aires,  but  this  is  far  from 
being  the  extent  of  Catholic  instruction  which  is  given 
gratuitously,  a  number  of  free  schools  being  connected 
with  other  colleges,  or  carried  on  independently.  Be- 
sides the  many  orphan  asylums  for  both  sexes,  there 
are,  at  least,  twelve  gratuitous  schools  for  boys,  and 
thirteen  for  girls  in  the  city;  while  it  is  likely  that  a 
considerable  number  of  schools,  mentioned  in  the  Ec- 
clesiastical Directory  of  Buenos  Aires  as  Colegios, 
also  afford  free  instruction. 

In  the  provinces,  there  are  about  twenty-one  paroch- 
ial schools,  besides  others,  in  which  instruction  is 
given  gratuitously.  There  is  no  doubt,  that  the  Church 
is  working  hard  in  the  right  direction,  but  the  needs 
of  an  ever  increasing  population  are  great,  and  it  is 
not  an  easy  task  to  supply  them.  The  societies  of 
workingmen,  the  Circulos  de  Ohreros,  to  which  I  re- 
ferred in  a  preceding  chapter,  give  great  promise  in 
this  regard.  One  of  their  ends  is  to  establish  schools, 
and,  at  the  present  time,  they  are  supporting  at  least 
seventeen  in  different  parts  of  the  country. 

Outside  of  the  seminaries,  the  work  of  higher  edu- 
cation is  still  in  its  infancy;  but  it  will,  surely,  in- 
crease. A  Catholic  university  has  been  established  in 
Buenos  Aires,  with  a  faculty  of  law  and  social  science, 
under  the  direction  of  Monsignor  Luis  Duprat,  which 
will,  no  doubt,  become  a  nucleus  of  greater  things  for 
the  future. 

Protestants,  too,  are  more  or  less  active  in  the 
work  of  education.     A  Protestant  minister,  the  Rev- 


Education  in  Argentina  165 

erend  C.  Morris,  has  established  a  number  of  private 
schools,  especially  among  the  poor,  with  teachers 
brought  from  Spain.  Last  year  he  is  said  to  have 
had  3,000  children  in  his  schools,  nine-tenths  being 
Catholics,  at  least  nominally.  Once  a  week,  he  dis- 
tributes gifts  to  the  parents.  The  government  helps 
his  work,  by  giving  him  |3,000  dollars  (silver)  a 
month.  Besides,  he  collects  among  the  banks,  and  rail- 
road companies,  and  elsewhere.  He  is  said  to  have 
thus  gathered  about  seventy  thousand  dollars.  I  ad- 
mire his  zeal;  it  would  be  well  to  follow  his  example. 
As  far  as  the  numbers  of  his  children,  and  the  amount 
and  source  of  his  collections  are  concerned  I  have 
this  merely  on  the  authority  of  others;  but  it  is  a 
known  fact  that  he  carries  on  schools,  the  Escuelas 
Evangelicas  Argentinas,  for  boys  at  1810,  Guemes,  and 
1830,  Nicaragua  streets,  and,  for  girls,  at  1830,  Guemes. 
It  is,  also,  known  that  his  schools  are  supported  by 
contributions.* 


2  Almanaque  del  Mensajero,  p.  195. 


Chapter  XII. 
FKOM  BUENOS  AIRES  TO  SANTIAGO. 

Choice  of  Route — Paraguay — Overland  Route  to  Bolivia — Pur- 
chasing a  Ticket — The  Old  Coach  Journey— Discomforts— 
The  Pampas — Line  of  the  Railroad — Mercedes— Chacabuco 
— Mendoza — Transferring  to  the  Narrow-Gauge  Road — 
Sunrise  on  the  Andes — The  Ascent — Puente  del  Inca — Acon- 
cagua— Mountain  Sickness — Las  Cuevas — The  Christ  of  the 
Andes — The  Tunnel — Old  Method  of  Crossing  the  "Cum- 
bre" — The  Descent — "The  Soldier's  Leap." — Los  Andes — 
Santiago. 

The  time  had  now  arrived  to  bid  farewell  to  Buenos 
Aires,  and  proceed  on  my  journey  to  the  lands  of 
South  America  on  the  Pacific  coast.  I  had  two  routes 
to  choose  from,  the  one  lasting  about  ten  days,  around 
the  continent  through  the  Straits  of  Magellan,  and 
the  other  across  the  continent  by  railroad. 

For  the  former,  I  might  proceed  to  Montevideo, 
and  take  one  of  the  transatlantic  steamers  of  the 
Pacific  Steam  Navigation  Company  which  go  through 
the  straits,  and  up  the  coast,  as  far  as  Callao,  or  I 
might  engage  passage  by  a  German  steamer  of  the 
Kosmos  Line.  By  this  route,  I  would  have  an  oppor- 
tunity of  beholding  the  magnificent  scenery  of  the 
Straits  of  Magellan,  and,  should  I  take  the  Pacific 
Steam  Navigation  Company,  of  making  a  stop  at  the 
very  interesting  Falkland  Islands.  But  the  voyage 
is  long,  and,  to  some  extent,  rough.  Besides,  at  this 
season  of  the  year,  it  is  very  cold  in  the  regions  of 
the  straits.  For  these,  and  other  reasons,  I  decided 
to  travel  by  rail.    Had  I  come  last  year  in  winter,  I 

166 


From  Buenos  Aires  to  Santiago  167 

would  probably  have  been  obliged  to  go  via  the  straits, 
for  the  Trans  Andean  route  was  generally  closed  from 
May  to  October.  Now,  however,  the  new  tunnel  facil- 
itates the  transit  of  the  Andes.  The  president  of 
Chile,  delegates  from  the  West  Coast,  and  the  Chilean 
cadets  had  recently  passed  through  it,  therefore  I  had 
no  reason  to  hesitate. 

There  was  one  country  of  South  America  on  the  East 
Coast,  I  should  have  wished  to  see,  but  my  time  would 
not  permit  it.  I  refer  to  Paraguay.  The  Kepublic  of 
Paraguay  lies  directly  north  of  Argentina,  and  south 
of  Brazil,  between  the  Paraguay  and  Parand  rivers, 
the  smaller  portion  being  in  the  tropical,  and  the 
larger  in  the  temperate  zone.  This  country,  with  one 
of  the  finest  climates  in  South  America  is,  probably, 
less  known  than  any  other,  and  yet  it  has  immense 
wealth  which  needs  only  to  be  developed.  It  received 
a  terrible  setback  in  the  war  which,  from  1864  to 
1870,  was  waged  against  it  by  the  combined  forces 
of  Argentina,  Brazil,  and  Uruguay,  in  which  about 
half  a  million  people  perished.  Since  then,  it  has 
been  slowly  recovering,  with  cattle  raising  as  the  prin- 
cipal industry.  Paraguay  has  no  seaport,  and  must 
ship  its  produce  down  the  river  to  Buenos  Aires,  or 
Montevideo. 

To  go  to  Paraguay,  I  would  have  had  to  take  a 
steamer  to  Asuncion,  the  capital,  a  jouimey  which 
would  have  consumed  at  least  four  days.  A  portion 
of  the  journey,  however,  can  be  made  by  rail,  as  two 
Argentine  railways  reach  almost  to  the  frontiers,  the 
one,  on  the  right  bank  of  the  river  Parand,  termina- 
ting at  Kesistencia,  in  the  territory  of  Chaco,  and  the 
other,  on  the  left  bank,  at  Corrientes.  It  will,  prob- 
ably, not  be  very  long  before  the  Paraguayan  railroad, 
now  running  from  Asuncion  to  Pirapo  will  be  extend- 


168  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

ed  to  the  river,  opposite  Posadas,  on  Argentine  terri- 
tory, which  will,  sooner  or  later,  be  connected  with 
the  line,  now  terminating  at  Concepcion.  It  will  then 
be  possible  to  go  from  Buenos  Aires  to  Asuncion  by 
rail. 

A  student  of  history  is  amply  repaid  for  a  journey 
to  Paraguay  by  the  ruins  of  the  old  Jesuit  missions, 
scattered  over  the  country.  During  my  stay  in  Argen- 
tina, the  Spanish  Jesuit  Father,  Astrain,  had  just 
gone  up  there,  in  the  interest  of  a  history  of  the  Soci- 
ety for  which  he  is  gathering  material.  The  ethnolo- 
gist, and  philologist  will  also  find  much  room  for 
study  in  the  Indian  population,  still  quite  numerous. 

The  Falls  of  Iguazu,  on  the  river  of  that  name, 
between  the  Argentine  territory  of  Misiones  and 
Brazil,  are  said  to  rival  those  of  Niagara,  but  they  are 
of  difficult  access.  The  Iguazu  is  a  tributary  of  the 
Upper  Parand,  and  the  nearest  railroad  ends  at  Con- 
cepcion, about  150  miles  south. 

Owing  to  my  limited  program,  extended  enough  as 
it  was,  I  found  myself  obliged  to  sacrifice  the  advan- 
tages to  be  derived,  artistically,  as  well  as  scientific- 
ally, from  a  visit  to  Paraguay  and  northeastern  Ar- 
gentina. It  is  true,  I  had  a  splendid  opportunity  of 
becoming  better  acquainted  with  the  northwestern 
portion  of  the  Kepublic,  but  I  should  have  been  obliged 
to  sacrifice  Chile,  which  I  could  not  bring  myself  to 
do,  as  Santiago  was  of  too  great  importance  for  my 
studies  in  literature. 

Several  of  my  fellow  Americanists  availed  them- 
selves of  the  opportunity,  to  perform  this  difficult 
journey  through  Argentina  to  Bolivia  which  had  been 
organized  especially  for  the  members  of  our  Congress, 
with  the  joint  co-operation  of  the  two  countries,  both 
giving  free  transportation   on  the  railroads  in  their 


From  Buenos  Aires  to  Santiago  169 

territory,  over  which  they  had  control.  The  route 
lay  along  the  Central  Argentine  railroad  from  Buenos 
Aires  to  Cordoba,  thence  by  narrow  guage,  via  Tucu- 
man,  to  Jujuy,  and  the  confines  of  Bolivia.  Hence  a 
long  journey  of  a  week  or  more  was  to  be  made  by 
coach,  with  the  poorest  of  accommodations,  until  the 
Antof agasta  and  Bolivia  railway  was  reached  at  Oruro 
in  the  Cordilleras,  at  an  altitude  of  over  12,000  feet. 
From  Oruro,  you  go  by  rail  to  La  Paz,  the  capital  of 
Bolivia,  and  thence  by  steam  and  electric  railway  to 
Guaqui  on  Lake  Titicaca. 

I  felt  that,  besides  the  time  consumed,  the  journey 
would  have  been  too  arduous,  especially  as  I  expected 
to  reach  La  Paz  from  the  Pacific,  an  expectation,  in 
which,  as  we  shall  see,  I  was  disappointed.  The  ad- 
vantage of  the  expedition  consisted  mainly  in  the  fact, 
that  it  afforded  a  splendid  opportunity  to  become 
acquainted  with  the  Indians  of  the  interior  of  Bolivia 
and  Peru,  and  to  study  the  Inca,  and  Pre-Inca  ruins 
of  both  countries. 

However,  I  consoled  myself  with  the  expectation 
of  contemplating  the  magnificent  scenery  of  the  Andes, 
between  Argentina  and  Chile,  and  of  making  an  his- 
torical and  literary  study  of  Santiago. 

On  deciding  as  to  my  route,  I  set  about  obtaining 
information.  It  took  me  a  whole  afternoon  to  find 
out  where  I  might  purchase  a  ticket.  On  being  told, 
that  there  was  an  agency  on  the  Plaza  de  Mayo,  I 
sought  for  it  in  vain.  Then,  by  direction,  I  went  to 
the  station  on  the  Plaza  Once  of  the  Western  railroad, 
only  to  be  sent  further  on.  Finally,  on  arriving  at 
the  Retiro  station,  I  concluded  that  I  was  right,  but 
soon  discovered,  that  though  this  was  really  the  ter- 
minal of  the  Pacific  railway,  they  did  not  sell  tickets 
to  Chile  which,  I  was  informed,  were  to  be  purchased 


170  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

at  the  Villalonga  Express,  the  offices  of  which  are 
located  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Plazo  de  Mayo,  on  the 
Balcarce  street.  I  had  had  my  labor  in  vain,  and  a 
long  tramway  journey  which,  however,  served  to  extend 
my  knowledge  of  the  city. 

At  a  department  of  the  Villalonga,  the  great  express 
company  of  Buenos  Aires,  which  has  charge  of  the 
Trans-Andean  route,  I  purchased  a  first-class  ticket 
directly  for  Santiago,  for  thirteen  pounds  and  a  half, 
or  $67.50  which  includes  the  sleeping  berth,  but  not 
meals.  This  is  a  good  deal  for  a  journey  of  only 
thirty-six  hours,  or  a  little  more  than  892  miles,  but 
then,  we  must  remember  that  railroads  in  South  Amer- 
ica are  comparatively  new,  and  that  traffic  is  small. 
The  English  sovereign  in  South  America,  I  may  re- 
mark in  passing,  is  generally  worth  five  dollars  of 
our  money. 

Long  distance  trains  in  Argentina  do  not  always 
run  every  day,  and  for  Chile,  you  can  obtain  one,  only 
three  times  a  week,  on  Sundays,  Tuesdays,  and  Thurs- 
days. 

As  far  as  baggage  is  concerned,  you  may  take  into 
the  cars  only  small  hand  baggage;  the  rest  must  be 
registered,  though  fifty  kilos  are  transported  free. 
The  check  system  prevailing  with  us  does  not  exist 
anywhere,  as  far  as  I  know. 

All  the  preliminaries  being  arranged,  I  parted  from 
my  good  friends,  the  Passionists,  and  boarded  my 
train  at  the  Retiro  station,  to  leave  for  the  west,  at 
8.20  a.  m.  of  June  the  seventh.  This  schedule  was 
announced  to  continue,  until  the  end  of  June,  after 
which  it  would  depend  on  circumstances,  namely  the 
amount  of  snow  on  the  mountains.  At  all  events,  I 
was  fortunate. 


From  Buenos  Aires  to  Santiago  171 

The  journey  from  Buenos  Aires  to  Chile  is  indeed 
paradise,  compared  to  what  the  coach  voyage  must 
have  been  in  the  oldenr  times,  for  instance  when  Mon- 
signor  Mastai  Ferretti,  the  future  Pius  IX.,  performed 
it,  early  in  the  last  century.  Yet,  for  one  accustomed 
to  railroad  travel  in  the  United  States,  it  is  not  with- 
out its  discomforts.  First,  it  was  cold,  with  that 
damp,  raw,  penetrating  cold,  that  eats  into  the  mar- 
row of  your  bones,  and  chills  your  blood,  colder  on 
the  plains,  than  on  the  mountains  where  the  air  was 
more  dry.  During  the  day,  in  the  sunshine,  the  tem- 
perature was  not  disagreeable,  but,  in  the  morning, 
and  at  night,  it  gave  one  unaccustomed  to  it  no  rest. 
To  make  matters  worse,  there  was  no  way  of  getting 
warm,  for  the  cars  were  not  heated.  All  you  could 
do  was  to  wrap  yourself  up  in  a  blanket,  be  philoso- 
phical about  it,  and  forget  that  your  feet  were  freez- 
ing. There  was  little  means  of  raising  your  tempera- 
ture by  moving  about,  for,  in  the  narrow  corridor,  you 
were  sure,  every  now  and  then,  to  come  into  collision 
with  some  tmfortunate  pedestrian,  trying,  like  your- 
self, to  get  warm,  or  passing  from  one  part  of  the 
train  to  the  other.  Your  sitting  room  was  your  little 
stateroom,  unless  you  wanted  to  pass  over  to  the  din- 
ing car,  which  was  used  all  day  as  the  common  loung- 
ing room,  where  you  might  eat,  drink,  chat,  and 
smoke  as  you  liked.  As  far  as  smoking  is  concerned, 
there  were  no  restrictions,  you  could  smoke  anywhere. 
The  dining  room,  when  it  had  been  occupied  for  several 
hours,  as  you  may  imagine,  stood  in  great  need  of  a 
thorough  cleaning  up,  for  it  was  not  precisely  like  a 
North  Holland  drawing  room.  Further,  the  train  was 
crowded  with  passengers,  many  of  whom  were  return- 
ing from  the  Argentine  festivities.  Some  few  were 
English  or  Americans. 


172  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

It  was  in  these  surroundings,  that  we  spent  nearly 
twenty-four  hours,  leaving  Buenos  Aires  at  8.20  a.  m., 
and  arriving  at  Mendoza  the  following  morning  at 
6.15.  I  need  not  say,  that  the  night  was  a  restless, 
shivering  one,  but,  like  all  nights,  it  passed  away,  to 
usher  in  a  morning,  no  less  cold.  Add  to  the  discom- 
fort of  the  cold,  that  of  the  dust.  It  was  a  fine,  all 
penetrating  dust,  that  dust  of  the  pampas,  which, 
piercing  the  crevices,  covered  you  all  over,  as  well  as 
everything  else  in  the  train,  so  subtle  that  you  could 
not  see  it  in  its  action,  yet  most  obvious  in  its  results. 

Before  I  leave  the  stateroom,  I  wish  to  draw  your 
attention  to  the  fact,  that  the  berths  are  not  fixed, 
but  movable,  as  in  our  Pullmans,  so  that  the  lower 
berth  serves  as  a  seat,  during  the  day.  The  little 
compartment  is  much  like  the  staterooms  on  our  Pull- 
mans. 

For  the  present,  we  may  as  well  forget  our  discom- 
forts, and  direct  our  attention  to  the  country.  Until 
the  Andes  come  into  view,  as  you  approach  Mendoza, 
there  is  no  scenery.  All  that  you  will  see  during  the 
day  can  be  summed  up  in  a  few  words:  boundless 
pampas  melting  away  towar  d  the  horizon ;  an  occasional 
pond  or  stream ;  here  and  there  a  solitary  house ;  a  few 
towns;  some  railway  stations;  great  herds  of  cattle, 
left  to  wander  free  over  the  estates;  troops  of  long- 
legged  ostriches;  multitudes  of  rabbits,  sporting  with 
the  cattle;  and  some  carcasses  left  to  the  birds  of 
prey. 

Traveling  from  east  to  west,  until  you  reach  the 
eastern  slopes  of  the  Andes,  you  will  find  Argentina 
an  immense  plain ;  but,  from  Tucuman,  where  the  eleva- 
tions rise  to  an  altitude  of  15,000  feet,  southward, 
you  pass  through  an  undulating  region  of  mountains, 


From  Buenos  Aires  to  Santiago  173 

and  valleys.  On  the  present  journey,  however,  you 
will  enjoy  no  view  of  anything  like  mountains,  for, 
during  the  day,  the  train  crosses  the  pampas.  It  is 
better  thus,  as  the  passage  of  the  CordiTTeras  is 
reserved  for  daylight. 

It  is  these  immense  plains  that  offer  a  home  to  the 
immigrant  who  may  make  a  fortune,  if  He  have  cour- 
age enough  to  overcome  the  loneliness  of  the  pampas. 
The  wealth  of  the  plains  lies  principally  in  their  great 
herds  of  cattle;  they  are  the  regions  of  the  gauchos, 
the  Argentine  cowboys.  Ostriches  become  quite  num- 
erous a  few  hours  after  leaving  Buenos  Aires,  and, 
as  to  the  rabbits,  they  are  a  plague  of  the  country. 

The  line  of  the  Ferro  Carril  del  PacificOj  the  Pacific 
Kail  way,  runs  west,  with  a  slight  tendency  toward 
the  north,  until  it  reaches  Mendoza.  Crossing  the 
entire  provinces  of  Buenos  Aires,  Cordoba,  San  Luis, 
and  Mendoza,  it  passes  about  eighty  stations  along 
the  line,  one  of  them,  somewhat  more  than  half 
way  to  Mendoza,  bearing  the  name  of  Washington. 
The  railway  does  not  approach  nearer  to  the  city  of 
Cordoba,  which  lies  directly  north,  than  about  140 
miles.  In  course  of  time,  this  whole  country  will  be 
built  up,  as  the  prairie  regions  of  the  United  States 
have  been,  with  the  railroad  stations  becoming  towns, 
and  cities.  At  present,  the  most  important  towns  one 
passes  on  this  road  with  populations  ranging  from 
four  to  ten  thousand  or  more,  are  Mercedes,  Chaca- 
buco,  Junin,  Castellanos,  and  La  Paz. 

Mercedes  lies  about  sixty  miles  west  of  Buenos 
Aires,  with  a  population  which,  in  1895,  was  over 
five  thousand,  but  which  must  have  greatly  increased 
since  then.  One  of  the  older  towns  of  the  Kepublic, 
the  parish  having  been  established  in  1825,  it  belongs 
to  the  diocese  of  La  Plata,  with  a  parish  church,  and 


174  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

a  number  of  chapels,  several  colleges,  a  hospital,  and 
an  asylum.  Among  the  public  chapels,  we  find  one, 
dedicated  to  St.  Patrick,  with  the  Rev.  Thomas 
O'Grady  in  charge.  The  Palottini  Fathers  are  espec- 
ially active  in  Mercedes. 

Chacabuco,  smaller  than  Mercedes  and  of  much 
more  recent  growth,  lies  further  west,  also  in  the 
province  of  Buenos  Aires.  Junin,  in  the  same  pro- 
vince, still  further  to  the  west,  is  somewhat  larger  than 
Chacabuco,  and  comparatively  modern.  Castellanos 
seems  to  be  a  growing  town,  in  the  region  of  the 
pampas. 

At  Justo  Daract,  the  line  separates  into  two  divisions, 
the  older  and  more  circuitous  one  passing  through 
the  city  of  San  Luis,  and  the  shorter  route  on  the 
south,  through  La  Paz.  A  short  distance,  west  of 
La  Paz,  the  lines  unite  again,  to  continue  on  to  Men- 
doza.  La  Paz,  with  a  population  of  over  five  thousand, 
is  situated  in  the  province  of  Mendoza. 

You  pass  Mercedes,  Chacabuco,  and  Junin  during 
the  day,  but  Justo  Daract,  the  junction,  is  not  reached, 
until  nine  at  night,  and  La  Paz,  not  until  three  in  the 
morning.  You  arrive  at  Mendoza  about  three  hours 
later. 

This  city,  with  a  population  of  between  twenty-five 
and  thirty  thousand,  is  the  capital  of  the  province  of 
the  same  name  which  was  given  to  it  in  memory  of 
Don  Garcia  Hurtado  de  Mendoza,  Marquis  of  Canete, 
one  of  the  earlier  viceroys  of  Peru  who  commanded 
the  expedition  against  the  Araucanians  of  Chile,  in 
which  took  part  the  soldier-poet,  Ercilla  y  Zuniga, 
author  of  La  Araucana.  Mendoza  is  a  little  more 
than  713  miles  from  Buenos  Aires. 

This  province  is  the  principal  wine  growing  district 
in  Argentina  and,  in  fact,  in  America.     Lying  at  the 


From  Buenos  Aires  to  Santiago  175 

foot  of  the  Cordillera  chain,  which,  with  its  snow- 
crowned  peaks,  forms  a  picturesque  background,  Men- 
doza  enjojs  a  cloudless  sky  and  a  dry  atmosphere. 
It  possesses  several  health  resorts,  where  medicinal 
baths  may  be  had,  such  as  at  Cacheuta,  in  the  depart- 
ment of  Lujan,  Villavicencio,  department  of  Las  Her- 
as,  Los  Molles,  in  San  Rafael,  and  Puente  del  Inca, 
Lujan,  which  we  shall  pass,  as  we  ascend  the  moun- 
tain. The  province  possesses,  too,  some  oil  wells,  and, 
also,  coal  which  may  be  worked  in  course  of  time. 

The  railway  by  which  we  have  traveled,  beginning 
at  Buenos  Aires,  and  culminating  at  Mendoza,  was 
completed  in  1886,  thus  uniting  the  capital  with  the 
western  limits  of  the  Republic,  and  with  one  of  its 
most  important  cities.  Mendoza  is  older  than  Buenos 
Aires,  the  mother  church  of  the  parish  dating  from 
1561.  Besides  this  one,  the  city  possesses  churches  of 
the  Franciscans,  Jesuits,  and  others,  two  colleges,  a 
hospital,  a  penitentiary  and  several  fine  school  build- 
ings.    It  belongs  to  the  diocese  of  San  Juan. 

At  Mendoza,  nearly  2,471  feet  above  the  sea,  the 
traveler  who  is  to  cross  the  Cordillera,  changes  from 
the  Pacific  broad-gauge,  to  the  Argentine  Transand- 
ean  which  is  a  narrow-guage.  You  have  three  quar- 
ters of  an  hour,  and  you  may  take  your  coffee  at  the 
station  or,  if  you  prefer,  wait  until  the  train  starts, 
and  sip  it  in  the  little  dining  car. 

It  was  cold  and  dark,  when  I  made  the  exchange, 
walking  some  distance  from  one  train  to  the  other 
with  my  heavy  bags;  but  I  was  no  worse  off  than  the 
others,  laden  down  as  they  were  with  valises,  satchels, 
boxes,  and  baggage  of  all  description.  No  one  seemed 
to  bother  about  the  regulation,  forbidding  all  but  small 
hand  baggage  in  the  passenger  coaches,  and,  in  a  cor- 
ner of  our  car,  luggage  was  piled  up,  almost  to  the 


176  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

ceiling,  mine  having  had  the  misfortune  of  getting  in 
at  the  bottom.  Seats  were  at  a  premium,  the  number 
of  passengers  being  so  large.  You  may  thus  imagine 
the  discomfort  of  this  mountain  journey.  Ahead  of 
us,  went  a  second-class  coach  with  three  or  four  pas- 
sengers, including  a  priest,  although  priests  in  Argen- 
tina generally  travel  first  class.  Then  followed  the 
dining  car  which  might  also  be  used  as  a  sitting 
room,  if  a  seat  could  be  obtained.  Behind  the  diner, 
came  our  car,  with  a  kind  of  observation  compart- 
ment, and  a  diminutive  platform  at  the  rear.  As  far 
as  comfort  went,  the  second-class  coach,  having  so  few 
passengers,  was,  surely,  more  comfortable  than  ours. 
The  little;  metal  platforms  between  the  coach  and  the 
dining  car  were  hardly  more  than  a  foot  and  a  half 
in  width,  and  it  required  a  certain  amount  of  skill 
to  spring  from  one  to  the  other,  as  with  the  movement 
of  the  train,  they  were  playing  "hide  and  seek"  with 
each  other,  while  we  toiled  up  the  mountain. 

When  the  day  began  to  break,  we  caught  our  first 
view  of  the  Cordilleras,  with  the  long  snow  line  above 
them,  though  little  fresh  snow  had  fallen.  There  are 
few  things  so  beautiful,  as  the  effect  of  the  increasing 
morning  light,  upon  the  snow-capped  mountains. 
Years  ago,  I  looked  out  of  the  windows  at  the  Rigi- 
Kulm  on  the  summit  of  Mount  Rigi,  at  the  light,  as 
it  came  creeping  down  the  mountain  sides,  coloring 
the  snow  with  the  purple  and  pink  of  the  morning. 
First,  the  peaks  were  gently  tipped  with  gold,  then 
the  day  descended  slowly,  until  a  long  straight  line 
divided  it  from  the  receding  shades  of  the  dawn. 

And  here  arose  before  me  a  mountain  chain,  far 
wilder,  far  more  colossal,  than  the  Alps,  and  again 
I  saw  the  day  break  upon  the  heights,  the  snow  pur- 
pled with  the  light  of  dawn,  the  peaks  tipped  with 


SCENE  ON  THE  TRANSANpiNE  RAUvWAY 


From  Buenos  Aires  to  Santiago  177 

gold,  and  the  day  descend  to  chase  back  the  darkness 
into  the  precipices  between  the  rocks.  Such  pictures 
are  never  forgotten,  they  rest  and  refresh  the  mind, 
wearied  with  the  moving  pictures  of  modern  activity. 

At  seven  o'clock,  we  began  the  ascent,  leaving  the 
picturesque  old  town  of  Mendoza  with  civilization  be- 
hind us,  to  plunge  into  the  mountain  wilderness  of 
the  Argentino-Chilean  Cordillera.  At  first  you  ob- 
serve a  scant  vegetation,  then  only  tufts  of  mountain 
grass,  scattered  here  and  there,  and,  finally,  nothing 
but  rock,  lifeless  rock,  above,  around,  below  you.  All 
seems  dead.  No  animal  may  start  from  the  clefts,  as 
your  train  puffs  its  painful  way  through  the  pass,  no 
bird  may  circle  through  the  air,  even  insects  appear 
to  be  absent.  The  condor  makes  its  home  here;  but 
condors  are  rare.  Yet  there  is  much  animal  life  in 
the  Cordillera,  if  one  knows  how  to  look  for  it,  and 
the  hunter  and  naturalist  are  repaid  for  their  trouble. 
No  towns,  no  villages  exist  on  these  inhospitable 
mountains.  Only  the  oven-shaped  little  houses  which 
once  served  for  shelter  against  the  mountain  storms, 
in  the  days  of  foot  travel,  and  which  still  serve,  with 
the  isolated  railway  stations,  and  scattered  settle- 
ments, tell  you  that  men  pass  this  way.  It  is  said, 
that  no  lone  traveler  could  ever  cross  the  Cordilleras, 
as  they  are  infested  with  robbers;  hence  foot  travelers 
between  Argentina  and  Chile,  if  they  cannot  afford 
to  take  the  train,  generally  go  in  groups. 

The  railroad  follows  the  old  mountain  pass  which 
you  see  winding  its  way  up,  at  some  distance  off,  and 
which  is  said  to  date  from  the  time  of  the  Incas,  those 
old  mountaineers  of  the  Peruvian  uplands  who  ex- 
tended their  dominion,  and  their  influence  over  these 
regions  as  well. 


178  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

Shortly  after  leaving  Mendoza,  with  the  white 
peaks  towering  to  the  right,  and  in  front  of  you,  your 
train  crosses  the  Mendoza  river  which  comes  pouring 
down  from  the  summit  of  the  mountains,  and  flowing 
to  the  north,  unites  with  the  river  system  that  finally 
loses  itself  in  the  great  Saline  Lake  in  the  territory 
of  La  Pampa  to  the  south.  About  fifteen  kilometers 
further  on,  you  pass  through  a  tunnel,  and  reach 
your  first  station  at  the  Baths  of  Cacheuta,  at  an 
altitude  of  1,200  metres.  These  thermal  baths  are  used 
principally  for  rheumatism,  and  certain  forms  of  uter- 
ine disease.  Between  Cacheuta  and  San  Ignacio,  you 
go  through  another  tunnel,  and,  after  leaving  the  latter 
station,  cross  the  little  Eio  Blanco,  an  affluent  of  the 
Mendoza  which  must  not  be  confounded  with  two 
others  of  the  same  name  that  you  will  meet  further 
up  the  mountain,  the  one  on  the  Argentine,  and  the 
other  on  the  Chilean  side.  From  now  on,  you  will 
pass  through  several  tunnels,  before  arriving  at  the 
highest  point  of  your  journey. 

Your  next  stations  will  be  La  Invernada,  and  Uspal- 
lata.  At  the  latter,  the  railway,  following  the  course 
of  the  Mendoza  river,  makes  a  great  curve,  and  strik- 
ing the  old  highway  from  Mendoza  to  Chile,  deflects 
to  the  southwest,  until  Punta  de  Vacas,  at  an  alti- 
tude of  2,350  metres  is  reached,  when  it  turns  to  the 
west.  At  Uspallata,  you  are  directly  north  of  the 
Cerro  del  Plata  which  rises  to  a  height  of  nearly  14,- 
000  feet.  Before  ariving  at  Punta  de  Vacas,  the  train 
crosses  the  second  Kio  Blanco,  and  the  Zanjon  Amar- 
illo,  both  of  which  flow  into  the  Mendoza.  Here  the 
ascent  becomes  more  steep,  and  the  system  of  cogs 
between  the  tracks  begins  which  will  continue,  until 
you  reach  the  great  tunnel,  to  be  resumed  on  the  other 
side,  and  to  last  far  down  the  deep  descent  on  Chilean 


From  Buenos  Aires  to  Santiago  179 

territory.  To  your  right,  on  the  other  side  of  the 
river,  the  old  mountain  road  continues  to  ascend, 
sometimes  making  a  curve,  or,  again,  to  avoid  a  steep 
grade,  zigzagging  in  a  series  of  V-shaped  angles.  The 
telegraph  lines,  crossing  the  mountains,  fixed  to  slend- 
er iron  rods,  accompany  you  on  your  way,  but  there 
is  no  telephone  yet  between  Argentina  and  Chile. 

At  Punta  de  Vacas,  the  volcano  Tupungato  is  seen 
on  your  left,  to  the  southwest.  It  is  one  of  the  high- 
est peaks  of  the  Cordilleras,  with  an  altitude  of  22,- 
000  feet.  You  are  now  at  a  height  of  nearly  7,800 
feet;  but  you  have  to  rise  mucJi  higher,  before  you 
reach   the  tunnel. 

On  the  left  hand  you  will,  also,  observe,  if  you  are 
attentive,  some  time  after  leaving  Punta  de  Vacas, 
the  interesting  group  of  rocks,  known  as  Los  Pent- 
tentes.  The  principal  pile  resembles  an  old  cathe- 
dral, and  the  smaller  rocks  look  like  dark-robed  fig- 
ures, advancing  toward  the  church,  on  their  knees. 
One  of  the  many  legends  of  the  Andes  is  connected 
with  these  rocks,  and,  from  it,  their  name  is  derived. 
According  to  the  legend,  the  "Penitentes"  are  mem- 
bers of  a  degenerate  community  who,  repenting  too 
late  of  their  misdeeds,  and  pleading,  in  vain,  for  mercy, 
were  turned  into  stone. 

Your  next  point  of  interest  is  Puente  del  Inca,  at 
an  altitude  of  over  8,800  feet.  If  your  train  is  on 
time,  leaving  Mendoza  at  seven,  you  should  arrive  at 
Puente  del  Inca  at  thirty-five  minutes  after  one. 

There  is  very  little  snow  in  the  mountains  now, 
except  above  the  perpetual  snow  line,  but,  a  few  weeks 
later,  the  train  was  snow-bound  for  a  considerable 
time,  to  the  great  inconvenience  of  the  passengers 
who,  as  food  had  given  out,  were  condemned  to  a 
long    fast    of    twenty-four    hours.      Fortunately,    the 


180  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

train  had  managed  to  reach  Puente  del  Inca,  where 
the  hotel  was  opened  for  sleeping  accommodations  for 
which  no  provision  is  made  on  the  little  narrow- 
gauge  road.  Against  such  accidents,  it  is  not  always 
possible  to  provide,  even  with  the  large  si^ow  ploughs 
that  the  company  employs,  to  keep  the  road  open. 

Although  there  was  little  snow,  when  we  crossed, 
it  was  freezing,  but,  as  the  sun  was  shining  brightly, 
and  the  air  was  dry^  I  did  not  feel  the  cold,  as  much 
as  I  had  done,  on  the  pampas.  At  this  altitude,  the 
climate  is  very  fine  in  summer,  and  Puente  del  Inca, 
possessing  very  famous  thermal  baths,  is  quite  a  pop- 
ular summer  resort.  The  long,  low  hotel  may  be  com- 
fortable enough  for  all  I  know,  but  there  is  very  little 
splendor  about  the  place,  to  indicate  anything  like  a 
resort  of  fashion.  There  are  three  baths,  designated 
''Venus,''  ''Mercury,  or  Hornita,"  and  "Champagne," 
the  last  being  the  strongest. 

A  Brazillian  traveler,  visiting  the  spot  in  1900, 
speaks  thus  of  them: 

"I  went  from  the  snow  into  the  bath  "Venus,"  the 
most  moderate  of  these  baths,  in  spite  of  the  high 
temperature  of  nearly  30°  Centigrade,  receiving  sev- 
eral shocks,  as  the  water  bubbles  out  in  colossal  pro- 
portions. The  odor  is  very  disagreeable,  owing  to 
the  existence  in  it  of  sulphuric  acid  in  no  small 
quantity.     .     .     ." 

"As  for  'Champagne,'  it  is  enough  to  approach  the 
bath,  to  feel  as  though  you  were  being  asphyxiated." 

The  Puente  del  Inca,  or  Inca  Bridge,  is  a  natural 
bridge  of  rock,  formed  by  the  impetuous  waters  of  the 
Rio  Mendoza  which  pouring  down  the  mountain  side 
have  made  an  excavation,  leaving  the  rock  above  to 
form  a  bridge,  at  a  height  of  more  than  sixty-five  feet. 


1  Viagens  pelo  Interior  da  Republica  Argentina.     Dr.  Anto- 
nio Carlos  Simoens  da  Silva,  p.  21. 


ACONCAGUA 


From  Buenos  Aires  to  Santiago  181 

From  a  number  of  stalactites  the  wal;er  oozes  drop 
by  drop,  and  the  baths  situated  beneath  the  bridge, 
face  the  river  bank.  Here  the  train  crosses  the  river 
for  the  last  time,  before  arriving  at  Las  Cuevas.  Since 
leaving  Mendoza,  it  has  followed  its  course  in  an 
opposite  direction,  crossing  it  about  eleven  times. 

There  is  a  rock  in  the  mountains,  somewhere  in  this 
vicinity,  known  as  "Inca  Stone,"  and  tradition  has 
it,  that  the  Incas  were  wont  to  bring  their  sick  to 
this  place  to  take  the  baths. 

A  little  beyond  Puente  del  Inca,  you  catch  sight, 
on  your  right,  of  Aconcagua,  more  than  eighteen  miles 
away  from  you,  the  highest  peak  in  the  Andes,  rais- 
ing its  snow-crowned  summit  to  a  height  of  23,000 
feet.  Three  travelers.  Sir  Martin  Conway,  Mr.  Ranfin, 
and  Mr.  Fitzgerald,  have  made  the  ascent  of  Acon- 
cagua. 

By  this  time,  if  you  are  at  all  susceptible,  you 
may  have  begun  to  experience  a  little  of  the  moun- 
tain sickness,  by  accelerated  breathing,  heart  palpita- 
tion, and  a  certain  lassitude,  rendering  exercise,  more 
or  less,  difficult.  However,  I  do  not  believe,  that  on 
this  pass,  the  soroche,  or  mountain  sickness,  is  ever 
experienced  to  such  a  degree,  as  in  the  higher  altitudes 
of  Peru  and  Bolivia,  where  it  is  apt  to  be  accompan- 
ied by  violent  headache,  vomiting,  nose  and  ear  bleed- 
ing, and,  where,  in  the  case  of  a  weak  heart,  it  may 
prove  fatal.  On  the  coast  of  Peru,  a  traveler  who  had 
just  come  down  from  Lake  Titicaca  told  me  of  a  lady 
who,  hastening  to  the  lowlands  to  put  an  end  to  the 
mountain  sickness  from  which  she  had  been  suffering, 
fell  dead,  as  she  reached  the  steamer  on  the  lake. 
Even  here,  the  climate  is  very  trying  to  one  not  accus- 
tomed to  it,  for  at  the  altitude  of  Las  Cuevas  it  is 


182  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

cold  all  the  year  round.  One  of  my  fellow  travelers, 
Mr.  George  Kaldager,  who  had,  for  some  time,  been 
station  agent  at  Las  Cuevas,  was  so  broken  in  health, 
that  it  became  necessary  to  remove  him,  and  put  a 
native  in  his  place.  Add  to  the  climate,  and  the 
rarity  of  the  air,  the  unbroken  solitude,  and  unvary- 
ing monotony  of  the  place,  and  you  will  form  some 
idea  of  the  dreary  existence  that,  one  leads  there.  In 
the  winter  months,  the  cold  is  intense,  with  severe 
frost,  of  which  the  water  pump  is  a  constant  reminder, 
as  it  is  a  pillar  of  ice.  Las  Cuevas,  the  last  station 
in  Argentina,  is  at  an  altitude  of  over  10,300  feet. 

We  were  due  there  at  forty  minutes  past  two,  but 
we  did  not  arrive  till  about  four  o'clock.  Formerly, 
at  Las  Cuevas,  passengers  for  Chile  were  obliged  to 
take  mules  and  coaches,  to  cross  the  Cumhre^  or  high- 
est point  of  the  pass  which,  in  a  zigzag  line,  winds  up 
the  heights.  The  coach  road  extends  from  Las  Cuevas  to 
Caracoles,  where  the  Chilean  train  was  taken  for  the 
descent  of  the  mountain.  The  highest  point  of  the 
Cumhre  is  14,500  feet. 

The  dividing  line  between  Chile  and  Argentina 
crosses  the  Cumbre,  and  here  stands  a  large  statue 
of  Christ,  the  "Prince  of  Peace,"  erected  by  the 
initiative  of  South  American  ladies,  as  the  emblem, 
and  a  guarantee  of  peace  between  the  two  countries. 
It  was  inaugurated  in  1903.  Unfortunately,  it  can- 
not be  seen  from  the  train,  and  to  obtain  a  view  of 
it,  you  must  ascend  the  Cumhre.  At  the  time  the 
statue  was  erected,  the  question  regarding  the  point 
of  the  compass  toward  which  it  should  face  threat- 
ened to  bring  about  an  unpleasant  complication,  not 
at  all  in  keeping  with  the  character  of  the  statue. 
Should  it  face  east  or  west,  its  back  would  have  been 
turned  either  to  Chile,  or  to  Argentina,  and  neither 
country  would  agree  to  this.    The  matter  was,  there- 


From  Buenos  Aires  to  Santiago  183 

fore,  compromised,  by  having  the  statue  face  the 
north.2  Let  us  hope,  that,  looking  toward  the  north- 
ern republics,  it  may  be  for  them  an  incentive  to 
peace,  as  well  as  to  the  Argentine  Kepublic,  and  Chile. 

Mr.  William  Jennings  Bryan,  whose  lecture  on  the 
^'Prince  of  Peace"  is  famous,  was  one  of  the  last  of 
the  travelers  from  Chile  to  Argentina,  to  cross  in  the 
old-fashioned  way,  as  the  tunnel  has  been  opened  since. 
A  photograph  of  his  group  was  taken  at  the  highest 
point.  Mr.  D.  H.  McMillen,  the  American  in  charge 
of  the  mule  transport  over  the  Cumbre,  who  had  taken 
Mr.  Bryan  across,  was  my  fellow  passenger  on  the 
Oravia,  from  Valparaiso  to  Callao.  He  was  returning 
home,  as  his  business  was  at  an  end. 

At  Las  Cuevas,  you  now  change  for  the  Chilean 
narrow-gauge  road,  Transandino  ChilenOy  which,  to  a 
large  extent,  if  not  entirely,  is  operated  by  American 
capital,  under  American  management.  Here,  too,  the 
standard  time  changes,  Chilean  time  being  forty-four 
minutes  behind  that  of  Argentina.  The  official  time 
of  Chile  has  recently  been  set  exactly  five  hours  behind 
Greenwich  time. 

The  famous  tunnel  through  which  you  now  pass  is 
nearly  two  miles  long.  The  railroad  from  Santiago 
was  built  in  1874,  as  far  as  Los  Andes,  where  the 
Chilean-Transandine  road  begins  which,  as  late  as 
1906,  did  not  proceed  further  than  Kio  Blanco,  where 
it  was  met  by  the  mule  train,  coming  down  from  the 
Cumbre;  then  it  was  extended  to  Juncal,  and,  finally, 
to  Caracoles.  When  Kio  Blanco  was  the  terminus,  the 
traveler  from  Chile  went  by  wagon  to  Juncal,  where 
in  one  of  two  fairly  good  hotels,  he  might  rest  a  few 
hours.  Between  three  and  four  in  the  morning,  he 
took  the  mule  train  across  the  Cumbre,  arriving  at 

2  Whright,  Republic  of  Chile,  p.  303. 


184  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

Las  Cuevas  at  seven,  to  take  the  train  for  Mendoza. 
It  is  difficult  to  cross  the  Cumbre,  after  ten  in  the 
morning,  owing  to  the  strong  winds  that  prevail.^ 

In  the  days,  about  1903,  when  Salto  del  Soldado  in 
Chile  was  the  terminus  of  the  road,  connecting  with 
those  from  Santiago  or  Valparaiso,  it  took  nearly  58 
hours,  or  three  days  and  two  nights,  to  make  the 
trip  to  Buenos  Aires,  for  which,  at  present,  only  one 
night  and  two  days  are  required.  There  has  been, 
thus,  a  steady  improvement.  It  is  a  pity,  that  the 
Transandean  gauges  differ  from  the  others  in  Argen- 
tina, and  Chile,  requiring  three  changes  between 
Buenos  Aires  and  Santiago,  but,  to  alter  the  gauge 
now,  would  entail  very  great  expense  that  would  prac- 
tically amount  to  the  construction  of  a  new  railroad. 

At  Caracoles,  the  first  station  in  Chile,  after  leav- 
ing the  tunnel,  you  are  about  12,400  feet  high,  but 
here  the  splendid  descent  begins.  If  the  scenery  on 
the  Argentine  side  was  grand,  here,  as  you  go  down, 
it  is  awe  inspiring,  bewildering,  tremendous.  Sharp, 
needle-like  peaks  tower  above  you,  dizzy  ravines  yawn 
beneath  you,  and  your  diminutive  train  goes  rolling 
down  the  mountain  along  the  edge  of  formidable  pre- 
cipices. As  you  gaze  into  the  depths,  you  behold  the 
slender  lines  of  railway,  over  which  you  are  destined 
to  pass  in  your  descent,  hundreds  of  feet  beneath  you. 
The  cogs  will  continue  to  support  your  train,  until 
you  reach  Salto  del  Soldado. 

At  Caracoles,  you  meet  with  the  Aconcagua  river, 
which  you  will  follow  for  a  long  distance  down  the 
mountain,  along  which  it  flows  to  pour  ultimately  its 
waters  into  the  Pacific  Ocean.  After  leaving  Cara- 
coles, the  railway  will  depart  from  the  mountain  high- 
way, making  an  oval  curve  to  the  north,  toward  the 


3  Chile ;  G.  F.  Scott  Elliott,  New  York,  1907,  pp.  317,  318 


STONE   REFUGE   HOUSE,   IN   THE   ANDES 


From  Buenos  Aires  to  Santiago  185 

Lake  of  the  Inca  which  lies  northwest  of  Caracoles. 
Eecrossing  the  Aconcagua,  the  road  makes  a  long 
detour  to  the  south  at  Juncal  station,  returning  to 
the  highway  to  continue  its  route  to  Balto  del  Soldado, 
past  the  stations  of  Glardia  Yieja,  and  Rio  Blanco. 
At  the  latter,  you  pass  the  river  of  that  name  which 
flows  into  the  Aconcagua. 

As  you  descend  the  mountains,  you  will  observe, 
here  and  there,  small  stone  houses,  built  like  an  oven, 
with  no  opening  but  a  door.  These,  known  as  casuchos, 
were  used  by  foot  travelers,  especially  the  mail  car- 
riers, in  the  days  before  the  trains  were  running,  as 
a  place  of  shelter  in  a  storm,  or  over  night,  and  they 
are,  probably,  still  employed  for  the  purpose.  They 
were  built  by  the  Irish  Chileno,  Ambrose  O'Higgins 
who,  from  a  very  humble  beginning,  rose  to  be  viceroy 
of  Peru  and  whose  son  became  the  great  patriot  of 
the  Independence. 

The  route  we  have  followed,  by  the  pass  of  Uspal 
lata,  and  the  Cumbre,  is,  I  believe,  approximately,  the 
one  taken  by  San  Martin,  when,  after  organizing  his 
army  in  the  province  of  Mendoza,  he  crossed  the  Cor- 
dillera to  invade  Chile  in  1817,  an  invasion  that  cul- 
minated in  the  battle  of  Chacabuco,  and  the  inde- 
pendence  of   the   country. 

On  this  side  of  the  mountains,  though,  from  a  dis- 
tance, the  rocks  appear  to  be  as  barren,  as  on  the 
other,  there  is  some  scattered  vegetation,  from  the 
summit  of  the  Cumbre  down,  with  a  large  number  of 
beautiful  and  rare  plants  that  would  repay  the  labors 
of  the  botanist. 

One  of  the  places  we  pass,  on  the  descent,  is  Salto 
del  Soldado,  the  "Soldier's  Leap."  Here  is  a  perpen- 
dicular cleft  through  the  mountain,  into  which  the 


4  Chile ;  Scott  Elliott,  pp.  320-21. 


186  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

Aconcagua  river  has  forced  its  way  down  to  the  sea. 
It  has  its  name  from  the  tradition,  that,  during  the 
war  of  independence,  a  patriot  soldier,  bearing  im- 
portant despatches,  leaped  his  horse  across  the  chasm, 
at  the  imminent  risk  of  his  life,  rather  than  fall  into 
the  hands  of  the  pursuing  Spaniards. 

After  leaving  Salto  del  Soldado,  the  train  passes 
a  couple  of  more  small  stations,  and,  finally,  arrives 
at  Santa  Rosa  de  los  Andes,  where  the  last  change  is 
made.  Here  you  take  the  Chilean  state  railway,  a  broad 
gauge,  either  for  Santiago,  or  for  Valparaiso.  Should 
you  desire  to  break  the  journey,  you  may  spend  the 
night  at  Los  Andes,  leaving  your  train  at  the  first 
station.  You  will  here  find  a  comfortable,  and  quite 
up-to-date  hotel,  where  you  may  rest  from  the  fatigu- 
ing journey,  to  continue  on  to  Santiago  the  next 
morning. 

Los  Andes  is  somewhat  more  than  2,700  feet  above 
sea  level,  or  about  856  feet  higher  than  Santiago.  The 
town  is  litle  more  than  a  hundred  years  old,  and  the 
parish  which  exists  since  1660  had  first  its  seat  in 
the  old  town  of  Curimon,  about  ten  kilometers  further 
west  on  the  line  to  Valparaiso.  It  has  three  churches, 
and  several  chapels,  a  hospital,  an  asylum,  and  a 
convent  of  Discalced  Carmelite  nuns. 

Should  you  wish  to  continue  your  journey  to  San- 
tiago the  same  night,  you  may  have  some  time  to  wait, 
and  you  will  be  able  to  find  a  good  meal  at  the  sec- 
ond railroad  station.  Our  train  was  due  at  Los  Andes 
at  5.15,  but  it  was  much  later,  and  quite  dark,  when 
we  arrived. 

On  leaving  Los  Andes,  you  may  take  a  train  directly 
to  Valparaiso,  or  to  Santiago.  Both  trains  follow  the 
same  track  for  a  distance  of  about  thirty  kilometers, 
as  far  as  Llai  Llai,  where  the  Santiago  train  turns 


SALTO  DEL  SOLDADO^  THE  SOLDIER  S  LEAP_,  IN  THE  CORDILLERA 


From  Buenos  Aires  to  Santiago  187 

to  the  south.  On  the  way  you  pass  the  station  of 
Curimon,  and,  further  on,  the  town  of  San  Felipe. 

Between  Llai  Llai  and  Santiago,  you  pass  a  number 
of  small  stations,  and,  if  your  train  is  on  time,  you 
arrive  in  the  capital  of  Chile  at  half  past  nine.  Ours 
did  not  get  there,  until  eleven,  on  the  night  of  June  8. 

Taking  a  carriage,  I  drove  to  the  Hotel  Oddo,  one 
of  the  best,  if  not  the  best  in  Santiago.  The  rates 
here  are  12  pesos  a  day,  for  your  room,  breakfast,  and 
dinner.  The  Chilean  is  worth  little  more  than  half 
an  Argentine  peso,  and  12  Chilean  pesos  amount  to 
about  12.90  American  money.  Your  coffee  in  the 
early  morning  will  cost  you  sixty  cents  (Chilean) 
extra. 

As  the  hour  was  far  advanced,  and  the  night  cold, 
I  retired  to  rest.  Before  we  begin  to  study  the  city 
of  Santiago  tomorrow,  we  shall  first  take  a  bird's  eye 
view  of  Chile,  past  and  present. 


Chapter  XIII. 

CHILE. 

Geography  and  Climate — Minerals — Forests — Agriculture — 
Stockraising — Industries — Aboriginal  Population — ^History 
—  Population — Transportation — Government — Army  and 
Navy — Cities — Punta  Arenas — Valdivia — Coronel — Concep- 
cion — Chilian — Talca. 

The  Republic  of  Chile,  according  to  its  present 
dimensions,  stretches  from  Cape  Horn  to  70°  57' 
latitude^  south,  occupying  the  western  slopes  of  the 
Andes.  Its  coast  line  from  north  to  south  is  of  2,625 
miles,  while  its  wid^t  portion,  which  extends  along 
the  tropic  of  Capricorn,  west  of  Antofagasta,  and 
south  of  the  great  Bolivian  plateau,  does  not  exceed 
three  hundred  miles,  its  average  width  being  ninety 
miles.  In  fact,  some  portions  of  the  coast,  below  the 
fortieth  parallel,  are  hardly  forty  miles  from  the 
Argentine  border. 

The  entire  country  is  mountainous,  a  double  chain 
of  the  Cordilleras  running  through  the  whole  length 
of  the  land.  The  eastern,  and  highest  range,  that 
of  the  Andes  proper,  begins  in  the  southern  portion 
of  Tierra  del  Fuego,  and,  with  a  strong  bend,  stretches 
northward,  until,  between  the  25th  and  30th  parallels, 
it  curves  strongly  to  the  east  to  form  the  great  plateau 
of  Bolivia.  The  western  range,  beginning  in  the  islands 
to  the  south  of  Chile,  follows  the  coast,  extending 
northward  to  Peru.  Between  these  mountain  ranges, 
lies  the  great  valley  of  Chile. 

188 


Chile  189 

The  climate  is  extremely  varied,  owing  to  differ- 
ences of  altitude,  as  well  as  of  latitude.  On  the  ex- 
treme south  of  the  west  coast,  from  Tierra  del  Fuego, 
to  the  40th  parallel,  strong  winds  are  almost  constant, 
with  much  rainfall,  and  torrential  streams,  flowing 
to  the  Pacific.  As  you  proceed  inland,  the  Patagonian 
desert  becomes  dry,  while  in  the  south,  from  the  50th 
parallel  to  the  Straits,  and  the  islands  beyond,  antarc- 
tic conditions  prevail. 

The  next  variety  of  climate  is  found  from  36°  to 
about  29°,  where  it  is  quite  moderate,  being  in  winter 
agreeably  warm  during  the  day,  and  quite  cool  at 
night,  as  well  as  in  the  morning,  and  after  sunset. 
Snow  never  falls  north  of  36°  S.  Lat.,  below  an  alti- 
tude of  from  600  to  700  feet,  while,  further  north,  say 
at  Santiago,  which  is  at  an  altitude  of  about  1,800  feet, 
it  is  hardly  known,  except  in  the  surrounding  moun- 
tains. In  summer,  this  climate  is  delightful,  with  a 
blue,  cloudless  sky,  and  a  dry,  transparent,  and  ex- 
hilarating atmosphere,  with  brief  showers  falling  oc- 
casionally. Sometimes,  however,  there  is  a  period  of 
long  continued  drought,  as,  for  instance,  when  I  vis 
ited  Santiago,  it  had  not  rained  for  eight  months, 
until  the  eve  of  my  departure.  Further,  there  was  no 
snow  on  the  mountains,  a  fact  that  occasioned  no  lit- 
tle inconvenience  to  the  city  that  depends  on  melted 
snow  for  its  water  supply.  The  cold,  about  the  same 
as  we  might  have  in  our  latitude  in  November,  was 
said  by  the  inhabitants  to  be  the  severest  they  had 
experienced  for  many  years. 

On  the  other  hand,  northern  Chile,  from  about  the 
29th  parallel,  corresponding  with  the  nitrate  region, 
is  a  dry,  waterless  desert.  The  rainfall  increases 
southward  as  you  go  from  about  24°  to  below  40°, 


190  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

while  there  are  periods  of  drought,  lasting  several 
years,  between  24°  to  27°  S.  Lat. 

The  principal  source  of  mineral  wealth  in  Chile  is 
to  be  found  in  her  rich  nitrate  fields  in  the  northern 
portion  of  the  Eepublic,  a  considerable  part  of  which 
formerly  belonged  to  Peru.  It  is  from  these  fields 
that  the  fertilizer  known  as  nitrate  of  soda  is  pro- 
cured. Copper,  gold,  silver,  and  iron  also  exist,  with 
a  quantity  of  coal.  The  production  of  coal  in  1909 
amounted  to  939,836  tons.  This,  however,  is  not  suf- 
ficient for  home  consumption,  and  over  1,000,000  tons 
are  imported  annually.  There  are  extensive  coal  fields 
in  the  province  of  Arauco,  south  of  Coronel,  which 
have  not  yet  been  worked. 

Lota,  in  the  province  of  Concepcion,  with  a  popu- 
lation of  over  fifteen  thousand,  is  the  centre  of  coal 
mining  operations.  The  property  where  the  principal 
mines  are  located  was  purchased  by  Don  Matias 
Cousino,  in  1852,  and  here  the  Cousino  family  made 
their  fortune.  Dona  Isidora  Goyenechea  de  Cousino, 
widow  of  Don  Luis  Cousino,  was  regarded  as  the  rich- 
est woman  in  the  world,  her  fortune  being  estimated 
at  seventy  millions.  After  her  death  in  1898,  it  was 
divided  among  her  children.^ 

The  Arauco  company  is  another  important  coal  min- 
ing association  in  the  south,  with  several  mines  in 
operation. 

Chile  has  been  a  gold  producing  country  from  time 
immemorial,  as  mines  were  worked  by  the  natives  be- 
fore the  arrival  of  the  Spaniards.  In  the  sixteenth 
century,  from  Valdivia's  time,  the  production  of  gold 
was  very  great,  until  the  war  with  the  Araucanians 
came  to  interfere  with  it.     About  ten  years  ago,  the 


1  Whright ;  The  Republic  of  Chile,  p.  318. 


Chile  191 

old  Madre  de  Dios  mine  of  the  early  colonial  period 
was  reopened,  and  other  mines  are  now  worked. 
There  is  a  prospect  that  gold  mining  will  increase  in 
Chile  which  is  said  to  have  been,  at  one  time,  the  prin- 
cipal gold-producing  country  of  the  world.^ 

Silver  is  obtained  from  a  number  of  mines  scattered 
through  the  country,  some  of  which  were  worked  in 
the  eighteenth  century,  while  new  ones  have  been  dis- 
covered. Among  the  amalgamating  and  smelting 
works  in  which  silver  ore  is  handled,  mention  may  be 
made  of  those  of  Playa  Blanca,  the  property  of  the 
Huanchaca  company  of  Bolivia,  but  leased  and  oper- 
ated by  the  firm  of  Guggenheim's  Sons  of  New  York. 

The  production  of  copper  has  been  more  profitable 
than  either  that  of  gold  or  silver,  and  a  number  of 
mines  are  in  operation.  Iron  and  manganese  mines 
are,  also,  worked,  while  petroleum  and  natural  gas 
have  been  discovered  about  500  miles  from  Valparaiso. 

The  forest  district  of  Chile  covers  the  southern  por- 
tion of  the  country,  extending  northward  beyond  the 
Bio-Bio  river,  but  there  are  woods  in  the  clefts  of 
the  mountains,  all  along  the  range,  even  north  of 
Santiago.  These,  however,  are  fast  disappearing,  as 
so  much  is  cut  for  firewood.  In  the  sixteenth  century, 
the  forests  of  Chile  were  more  extensive;  and,  unless 
something  is  done  to  prevent  it,  they  will,  sooner  or 
later,  vanish  from  the  land.  Forestry  for  some  enter- 
prising investor  might  in  course  of  time  prove  to  be 
a  profitable  business.  At  the  present  time,  the  forests 
still  furnish  wood  for  various  industrial  purposes. 

The  central  and  southern  portions  of  the  Republic 
are  devoted  to  agriculture,  and  kindred  pursuits,  in 
which  last  year,  there  was  a  marked  increase,  while 


2  Ibid,  EL  332. 


192  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

the  government  irrigation  system  promises  still  fur- 
ther developments.  Wheat  is  among  the  principal  ag- 
ricultural products,  Chilean  wheat  carrying  the  high- 
est quotations  in  the  English  market.  Chile  is,  also, 
second  on  the  list  of  the  wine  making  countries  of 
America,  most  of  it  being  produced  in  the  central 
districts,  principally  in  the  neighborhood  of  Santi- 
ago, although  the  region  of  the  vine,  extends  from  the 
province  of  Atacama  in  the  north,  to  the  country  of 
Arauco. 

Stock  raising  is  on  the  increase,  affording  a  promis- 
ing field,  especially  in  the  territory  of  Magellan,  with 
its  48,000,000  of  acres.  Immense  flocks  of  sheep  of 
from  60,000  to  90,000  head  are  kept  here,  and  great 
fortunes  are  made.  It  has  been  calculated,  that  450,- 
000  cattle,  600,000  sheep,  and  140,000  hogs  are  an- 
nually slaughtered.  The  exportation  of  frozen  lamb 
carcasses  was  almost  trebled  from  1898  to  1899,  and 
that  of  hides  obtained,  also,  a  remarkable  increase. 

The  industries  of  Chile  are,  principally,  food  sup- 
plies, leather  and  shoes,  with  cement  and  a  beginning 
of  steel  works,  besides  metals,  clothing,  paper,  and 
so  forth.  Cotton  mills,  cloth  factories,  breweries  and 
ship  building  must,  also,  be  enumerated  among  the 
industries  of  this  flourishing  Kepublic. 

The  prehistoric  races  of  Chile  and  their  descendants 
are  of  varied  types.  In  the  far  south,  in  Tierra  del 
Fuego,  we  find  the  Yaghans,  the  least  developed  of 
the  Indian  races  of  America,  living  their  precarious, 
and  unstable  life  on  such  sea-food  as  they  can  gather. 
They  dwell  on  the  western  coast  of  Tierra  del  Fuego 
in  constantly  decreasing  numbers,  there  being  at  pres- 
ent hardly  more  than  200  of  them  left. 

The  western  portion  of  the  straits,  and  the  sounds 
and  channels  south  of  the  mainland,  are  inhabited  by 


Chile  193 

the  Alakaluffs,  a  fishing  and  hunting  tribe,  numbering 
about  800.  They  are  noted  for  their  short  stature, 
and  light  color. 

Further  to  the  north  are  the  Chonos  Indians,  and 
Chiloe  Islanders,  probably  all  half-castes,  and,  more 
or  less,  civilized.  To  the  Fuegians  belong,  also,  the 
Onas. 

The  principal  inhabitants  of  the  mainland  were  of  the 
famous  Araucanian  race,  the  descendants  of  whom  still 
live  in  the  more  southern  portion  of  the  Kepublic.  There 
are  about  fifty  thousand  Araucanians  left,  but  they 
are  diminishing,  alcohol  being  their  greatest  foe,  more 
deadly  than  their  old  enemies,  the  Spaniards,  and 
threatening  them  with  extermination.  The  Araucan- 
ian is  whiter  than  other  American  Indians,  and  the 
women  are,  often,  beautiful.  They  are  devoted  to 
agriculture,  and  they  make  good  farmers,  though,  im- 
bued, as  they  are,  by  the  traditional  aversion  of  the 
Indian  to  labor,  the  work  is  left  to  the  women,  or  to 
hired  hands.  They  are  forbidden  to  sell  their  lands, 
owing  to  the  many  advantages  taken  of  them  by 
unscrupulous  speculators. 

Sometime  about  the  last  quarter  of  the  fifteenth 
century,  the  Inca,  Tupac  Yupanqui,  invaded  Chile, 
and  conquered  the  country,  as  far  south  as  the  Maule 
river,  where  the  Araucanians  held  their  own,  as  they, 
afterward,  held  it  for  a  long  time  against  the  Span- 
iards. 

After  the  conquest  of  Peru  by  Pizarro,  Diego  Al- 
magro  crossed  the  Cordillera,  and,  like  the  Inca,  ad- 
vanced as  far  as  the  river  Maule,  which  flows  near 
where  Concepcion  now  stands,  but  he  was  forced  to 
retreat.  Some  time  later,  in  1540,  the  Spaniards, 
under  Pedro  Valdivia,  again  entered  the  country.  Ad- 
vancing down  the  valley,  Valdivia  halted  in  a  beau- 


194  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

tiflil  spot,  and  fortified  an  eminence  in  the  centre,  the 
present  Cerro  de  Santa  Lucia.  Here  he  founded  the 
city  of  Santiago.  Valdivia  being  killed  by  the  Arau- 
canians,  a  war  of  extermination  broke  out  which  haia 
been  immortalized  by  an  actor  in  it,  the  poet  Ercilla 
y  Zuniga  in  his  "Araucana,"  and  which  has  figured 
prominently  in  Spanish  American  literature.  In  vain 
did  the  Spaniards  endeavor  to  crush  the  Araucanians, 
and,  in  1640,  they  were  forced  to  conclude  a  treaty 
with  them,  by  which  the  Bio-Bio  river  was  declared 
the  boundary  line  between  the  Spanish,  and  the  Indian 
territories.^ 

During  the  colonial  period,  forming  part  of  the  vice- 
royalty  of  Peru,  the  country  was  governed  by  a  cap- 
tain-general, residing  at  Santiago. 

In  1810,  Chile,  taking  part  in  the  general  insurrec- 
tionary movement,  cast  off  the  yoke  of  Spain,  but  the 
Spaniards  again  reconquered  it,  until,  in  1818,  they 
were  defeated  by  San  Martin.  Since  then,  it  has  been 
advancing  on  the  road  to  prosperity. 

According  to  the  census  of  1907,  the  population 
of  Chile  amounted  to  3,249,279.  The  bulk  of  this  pop- 
ulation is  of  Spanish  descent,  either  pure  or  mixed. 
It  is  so  easy  to  detect  the  strain  of  Indian  blood  in 
the  people,  that  the  lines  can  be  clearly  drawn  be- 
tween the  pure  whites,  and  the  half-breeds.  Even  the 
most  casual  observer  cannot  fail  to  notice  the  differ- 
ence between  the  ladies  of  the  better  classes,  with  their 
fine,  white  complexion,  and  the  dark-skinned  women 
of  the  people. 

Immigrants  are  comparatively  few,  and,  in  this 
regard,  there  is  no  comparison  between  Chile  and  Ar- 


» For  the  early  history  of  Chile,   see  among  other  Chilean 
writers,  "Seis  Alios  de  la  Historia  de  Chile,"  Creseente  Erra- 
zuriz. 


Chile  195 

gentina.  Years  ago,  there  was  a  considerable  Germaa 
immigration  to  the  southern  part  of  the  country,  but 
this  has  greatly  diminished.  On  the  whole,  however, 
immigration  prospects  seem  to  be  brightening,  with 
an  increasing  tide  from  Spain  and  Italy.  The  govern- 
ment, to  encourage  immigration,  holds  out  many  in- 
ducements. 

Transportation  facilities  are  on  the  increase,  for 
Chile  is  in  possession  of  a  railway  system  which,  in 
a  comparatively  short  time,  will  cover  an  area  of 
4,000  miles,  about  2,500  of  which  will  be  owned  and 
operated  by  the  government.  At  the  end  of  1909, 
2,244  miles  were  in  operation.  The  railways  from 
the  coast  to  the  interior  are  generally  in  the  hands 
of  private  companies,  while  those  running  parallel  to 
the  coast,  or  connecting  important  cities  with  the  rest 
of  the  country,  are  owned  by  the  government. 

At  present,  you  may  travel  by  rail  along  the  coast 
from  a  considerable  distance  south  of  Valdivia  to  La 
Serena,  north  of  Valparaiso,  while  shorter  roads  lead 
from  the  principal  seaports  on  the  north  to  the  in- 
terior. To  these,  as  well  as  to  the  Antofagasta  rail- 
way to  Bolivia,  I  will  refer  on  another  occasion. 

The  present  constitution  of  Chile  dates  from  1833. 
O'Higgins  had  governed  the  country,  as  supreme 
Director,  from  1817,  until  his  abdication  in  1823. 
Then  followed  a  period  of  transition,  during  which 
several  systems  of  government,  with  two  constitu- 
tions, were  tried  and  abandoned,  until  a  fight  broke 
out  between  liberals  and  conservatives,  ending  in  the 
victory  of  the  former,  at  the  battle  of  Ochagavia,  where 
an  agreement  was  made  which  proved  to  be  of  short 
duration,  as  the  liberals  again  resorted  to  arms.  This 
time  they  lost,  at  the  bloody  battle  of  Lircai,  which 
was  fought  on  April  17,  1830.    Diego  Portales,  minis- 


196  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

ter  of  the  interior,  of  war,  and  of  the  navy,  Ovalle 
being  president,  now  becomes  the  prominent  figure  in 
Chilean  affairs,  though  he  resigned  in  1831,  retiring 
to  Valparaiso.  However,  he  did  not  lose  interest  in 
affairs  of  state,  and  the  constitution  which  established 
the  government  upon  a  solid  basis  was  largely  due  to 
his  influence. 

According  to  its  constitution,  Chile  has  a  single, 
non-federal,  republican  form  of  government.  The 
president  is  chosen  by  electors,  who  are  elected  by 
direct  vote.  His  office-period  lasts  five  years,  and 
he  cannot  serve  two  consecutive  terms.  The  council 
of  state  consists  of  eleven  members,  directly  respon- 
sible to  Congress,  to  which  body  the  six  cabinet  min- 
isters are,  also,  responsible.  The  ministries  are  of  the 
Interior,  Foreign  Affairs,  Justice  and  Public  Instruc- 
tion, the  -  Treasury,  War  and  the  Navy,  and  Industry 
and  Public  Works.  The  Congress  consists  of  a  senate 
and  chamber  of  deputies. 

The  judiciary  is  made  up  of  the  Supreme  Court  at  San- 
tiago, six  courts  of  appeal,  at  Santiago,  Valparaiso, 
Tacna,  Serena,  Talca,  and  Concepcion,  and  of  several 
minor  courts  in  the  provinces  and  districts.  There 
are  twenty-three  provinces,  and  one  national  terri- 
tory, divided  into  departments,  districts,  and  municip- 
alities ;  but  the  whole  government  is  centralized  at  San- 
tiago. 

The  army  is  made  up  of  somewhat  more  than  17,- 
000  men  under  arms,  but  the  war  strength  of  the  Ke- 
public  is  estimated  at  about  150,000  men.  A  military 
academy  and  four  military  schools  provide  instruction 
for  the  service. 

The  navy  consists  at  present  of  three  armored  bat- 
tleships, five  cruisers,  four  torpedo  boats,  seven  tor- 
pedo-boat destroyers,  and  a  number  of  auxiliary  ves- 


Chile  197 

sels,  with  a  personnel  of  more  than  6,000  men.  Chile 
has,  also,  its  naval  academy,  and  other  schools  for 
marine  education. 

Service  is  compulsory  on  all  persons  born  in  Chile, 
even  though  of  foreign  parentage.  One  year  is  spent 
with  the  colors,  and  the  rest  of  the  time,  up  to  the 
age  of  forty-five,  in  the  reserve. 

The  principal  cities  of  the  Republic,  beginning  with 
the  south,  and  following  their  latitude,  are  Punta 
Arenas,  Puerto  Montt,  Valdivia,  Coronel,  Concepcion, 
Chilian,  Talca,  Santiago,  Valparaiso,  Serena,  Coquim- 
bo,  Copiapo,  Taital,  Antofagasta,  Iquique,  and  Arica. 
The  next  chapter  belongs  entirely  to  Santiago,  and, 
later  on,  as  we  travel  along  the  coast,  we  shall  de- 
vote our  attention  to  the  cities  lying  north,  beginning 
with  Valparaiso.  A  few  words  may  be  said  here  of 
those  in  the  south. 

Punta  Arenas,  on  the  Straits  of  Magellan,  is  the 
most  southern  city  in  the  world,  1,200  miles  further 
south  than  Cape  Town.  Its  population  is  20,000,  and 
it  is  the  capital  of  the  one  territory  in  Chile,  that  of 
Magallanes,  which  comprises  about  one-fourth  of  the 
total  area  of  the  country,  with  48,000,000  acres,  more 
or  less.  Placer  mining,  and  sheep  raising  are  the  prin- 
cipal indutsries  of  this  territory.  The  raising  of  sheep 
has  made  Punta  Arenas  a  great  wool,  hides  and  tal- 
low market,  and  a  large  proportion  of  the  frozen  meat 
exportation  also  goes  from  here,  while  it  has,  besides, 
a  considerable  fur  trade.  Many  of  the  business  men 
are  of  Scotch  origin.  The  climate  is  cold,  and  windy, 
though  not  unhealthy. 

Puerto  Montt  is  the  capital  of  the  province  of  Llan- 
quihue,  a  stock  raising  and  agricultural  district,  of 
which  it  is  the  principal  seaport.  The  most  important 
steamboat  lines  call  here.     It  is  the  seat  of  one  of 


198  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

the  earliest  German  colonies,  bearing  the  name  of 
President  Manuel  Montt,  to  whose  encouragement  the 
colony  was  largely  due. 

Valdivia,  named  after  the  first  colonizer  of  Chile,  is 
the  capital  of  the  province  of  the  same  name,  with  a 
population  comparatively  small;  but  the  city  is  of  in- 
creasing importance.  It  is  situated  at  the  mouth  of 
the  Calle-Calle  river,  a  few  miles  from  Coral  which 
is  its  seaport.  Although  it  was  founded  in  1552  by 
Valdivia  who  gave  to  it  his  own  name,  and  though 
it  became  for  a  time  the  second  city  of  the  country, 
as  late  as  1850,  it  was  a  wretched  town  of  wooden 
huts.  German  immigration  completely  transformed 
it,  and  it  soon  became  a  clean,  and  prosperous  town. 
The  climate  is  habitually  damp,  with  a  dry  season 
lasting  only  a  few  months,  and  occasional  rains.  Yet 
in  summer  it  is  so  agreeable  that  Valdivia  has  be- 
come a  summer  resort. 

Coronel  is  the  great  coaling  station,  and  a  port  of 
call  for  steamers.  The  tourist  who  travels  by  the 
Magellan  route  from  the  east  coast  to  Chile,  would  do 
well  to  stop  at  Coronel,  and  proceed  by  rail  to  Con- 
cepcion,  where  he  may  take  the  train  for  Santiago, 
passing  through  the  Araucanian  country,  and  the  cen- 
tral valley  of  Chile.  The  distance  from  Concepcion 
to  Santiago  is  about  three  hundred  and  fifty  miles, 
and  the  journey  lasts  a  day. 

About  thirty  or  forty  miles  north  of  Coronel,  Con- 
cepcion is  situated,  with  a  population  numbering  some 
sixty  thousand.  It  is  the  capital  of  the  province  which 
bears  the  same  name,  and  it  is  regarded  as  the  com- 
mercial centre  of  southern  Chile.  The  original  Con- 
cepcion, founded  by  Valdivia,  lay  a  short  distance 
from  the  present  site.  It  was  destroyed  by  an  earth- 
quake toward  the  middle  of  the  eighteenth  century,. 


Chile  199 

and  in  1754,  the  present  Concepcion  was  built  ten 
miles  from  the  mouth  of  the  Bio-Bio  river  which  had 
been  established  as  the  dividing  line  between  Spanish 
and  Araucanian  territory.  It  is  well  built,  with 
block-paved  streets,  plazas,  and  electric  lighting.  The 
Haran  Hotel  in  Concepcion  is  regarded  as  the  best  in 
southern  Chile.  The  site  of  old  Concepcion  is  now 
occupied  by  the  town  of  Penco  which  is  connected  by 
rail  with  the  new  city. 

The  seaport  of  Concepcion  is  Talcahuano  with  about 
fifteen  thousand  inhabitants,  about  half  an  hour's  run 
by  rail.  This  is  the  naval  station  for  the  Chilean 
fleet. 

About  a  hundred  miles  northeast  of  Concepcion, 
lies  the  city  of  Chilian,  the  capital  of  the  province 
of  Nuble.  Old. Chilian  having  been  destroyed  by  the 
earthquake  of  1835,  it  was  rebuilt  a  short  dis- 
tance to  the  south,  on  the  present  site,  in  the  heart 
of  an  agricultural  district.  A  visit  may  be  made  to 
the  ruins  of  old  Chilian  by  street  car,  and  for  one 
interested  in  South  American  history,  it  cannot  fail 
to  prove  attractive. 

The  city  was  founded  in  1580,  by  the  governor,  Don 
Martin  Kuiz  de  Gamboa,  under  the  name  of  San  Bar- 
tolome,  but,  as  in  many  other  instances  in  American 
nomenclature,  the  aboriginal  name  prevailed.  In 
the  last  half  of  the  eighteenth  century,  Chilian  be- 
came the  headquarters  of  the  Franciscan  missions  for 
the  evangelization  of  the  natives,  from  the  Bio-Bio, 
down  to  the  Straits  of  Magellan.*  It  was  in  old  Chil- 
ian, that  Bernardo  O'Hlggins,  the  hero  of  independ- 
ence was  born. 


*  Historia  de  las  Mlsiones  del  Colegio  de  Chlllian,  P.  Roberto 
Lagos,  1908. 


200  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

The  present  Chilian  is  renowned  for  its  Feria,  or 
Fair,  at  which  there  is  an  exhibition  of  Horses  and  cat- 
tle, and  the  sale  of  many  articles  of  interest.  It  is  one 
of  the  greatest  industrial  centres  of  Chile.  From  the 
city,  the  Cordilleras  are  in  full  view,  and,  a  few 
leagues  away,  are  the  baths  of  Chilian,  near  the  vol- 
cano of  the  same  name.  Chilian  lies  on  the  central 
railway. 

About  a  hundred  miles  further  north,  on  the  same 
line,  we  find  Talca,  like  Chilian,  an  inland  city,  with 
a  population  of  forty-five  thousand.  Founded  in  1692, 
it  had  fallen  into  decay,  when,  in  1742,  it  was  re- 
built on  ground  donated  by  the  Augustinian  Friars, 
thus  reappearing,  as  San  Augustin  de  Talca.  It  is 
one  of  the  most  beautiful  cities  of  Chile,  and  re- 
nowned for  having  been  the  birthplace  of  a  consider- 
able number  of  eminent  men,  foremost  among  whom 
I  should  mention  Jos6  Ignacio  Cienfuegos,  who,  in 
1790,  became  parish  priest  of  his  native  city,  an  office 
that  he  filled  for  twenty -three  years.  Taking  an  active 
part  in  the  revolutionary  government,  as  member  of 
the  Junta,  he  was  exiled  by  the  Spaniards  to  the 
island  of  Juan  Fernandez  off  the  Chilean  coast,  whence 
he  returned  after  the  success  of  the  revolution,  to  be- 
come arch-deacon  of  the  cathedral  of  Santiago.  Some 
time  later,  we  find  him  acting  as  minister  plenipoten- 
tiary of  his  government  at  the  Papal  court.  He  be- 
came bishop  of  Concepcion  in  1832,  resigned  six  years 
later  to  retire  to  private  life  in  Santiago,  and  died  in 
1845,  leaving  the  memory  of  a  zealous  ecclesiastic,  as 
well  as  of  a  public  benefactor  to  his  native  city,  and 
to  his  country.  He  breathed  his  last  at  Talca,  where 
he  was  born. 


Chapter  XIV 
SANTIAGO 

Topography — Santa  Lueia — Plaza  de  Armas — Electric  Tram- 
ways— Women  Conductors — Intendencia — Ambrose  O'Hlg- 
gins — The  Congress — The  "Moneda" — National  Library  — 
Andres  Bello — Jose  Toribio  Medina  — Quiuta  Normal  — 
National  Museum — Alameda — American  Legation — Modern 
Residences — Santiago  Society — Drunkenness  in  the  Lower 
Classes— Cousiiio  Park — House  of  Pius  IX — Costume  of  the 
Women — Newspapers. 

Santiago  is  the  capital  of  Chile,  with  a  population 
of  about  400,000.  To  form  a  good  idea  of  its  topo- 
graphy, ascend  to  the  summit  of  the  hill  of  Santa 
Lucia,  an  eminence  in  the  centre  of  a  vast  plain,  upon 
which  Santiago  is  built,  surrounded  by  mountains. 
Originally  the  fortress  of  the  Incas,  and  later  of  Val- 
divia,  it  is  now  the  pleasure  resort  of  the  Santiago 
people,  to  which  pedestrians  have  free  access,  a  small 
fee  being  charged  for  carriages. 

You  reach  the  summit  of  the  hill,  whence  the  best 
view  is  obtained,  by  a  series  of  beautiful  steps  and 
terraces.  A  finely  chiseled  stone,  about  four  or  five 
feet  in  length,  fixed  upright  in  one  of  the  walls  is 
worthy  of  notice,  as  it  contains  the  arms  of  Spain, 
with  the  Bourbon  lilies.  It  was  found,  during  the 
course  of  excavations  for  the  construction  of  a  private 
dwelling. 

In  the  immediate  vicinity,  are  several  stone  benches 
that  adorned  the  Alameda,  the  fashionable  street  of 
Santiago,  at  the  time,  early  in  the  last  century,  when 

201 


202  Lands  of  the  Southern  Gross 

it  was  customary  for  the  politicians  of  the  day,  to 
gather  there.  One  of  them  bears  an  indentation,  said 
to  have  been  made  by  the  famous  Portales  with  his 
cane,  when  striking  it,  in  the  heat  of  argument. 

On  the  side  of  the  hill,  the  restaurant  occupies  the 
site  where,  for  a  long  time,  the  Spaniards  had  a  fort. 

In  the  early  part  of  the  nineteenth  century,  the 
Cerro  de  Santa  Lucia  was  used  as  a  burial  ground  for 
Protestants,  and  in  1849,  an  American  scientific  ex- 
pedition, in  charge  of  Lieutenant  James  Gillis  of  the 
United  States  navy,  erected  there  an  astronomical  ob- 
servatory that  was,  later,  purchased  by  the  Chileans, 
and  removed  to  another  site. 

The  one  to  whom  the  ^'Cerro"  owes  its  present  beau- 
tiful aspect  is  the  well-known  historian,  and  literary 
man,  Benjamin  Vicuna  Mackenna,  who,  as  Intendente 
of  Santiago,  about  1872,  began  to  convert  the  hill  into 
the  beautiful  park  it  became,  devoting  the  whole  of 
his  private  fortune  to  the  enterprise. 

As  you  stand  on  the  summit  of  this  characteristic 
eminence,  rendering  the  topograhpy  of  Santiago  so 
absolutely  unique,  your  eye  wanders  toward  the  east 
where  the  snow  line  of  the  Cordillera  fades  into  the 
sky,  and,  on  the  other  side,  you  behold  the  coast  range, 
running  parallel.  Down  below  in  the  plain,  the  city 
lies  on  all  sides  at  your  feet.  You  will  observe  here, 
that  the  architecture  of  Santiago  is  far  more  Spanish 
than  that  of  Buenos  Aires,  and  less  modernized.  The 
majority  of  the  houses  are  low,  with  the  traditional 
court  or  patio,  and  from  the  height  where  you  stand, 
you  can  look  down  into  a  number  of  them  with  their 
trees  and  shrubbery  which,  in  summer,  give  to  San- 
tiago the  appearance  of  a  vast  garden.  There  are, 
also,  many  beautiful  modern  dwellings,  especially  on 
the  Alameda,  and,  into  some  the  system  of  heating 


Santiago  203 

the  house  which,  generally  speaking,  does  not  exist, 
has  been  introduced.  The  streets,  long  and  narrow, 
cross  each  other  at  rectangles ;  but  the  beautiful,  wide, 
Alameda,  divides  the  city,  through  which,  also,  flows 
the  little  Mapocho  river.  The  light  yellow  color,  so 
universal  throughout,  as  well  as  the  similarity  of  archi- 
tecture, would  impart  to  the  city  an  air  of  monotony, 
were  it  not  for  the  trees,  the  churches,  and  the  larger 
edifices  that  rise  above  the  rest 

The  first  object  to  draw  your  attention,  as  you 
stand  on  the  Cerro  de  Santa  Lucia,  will,  probably,  be 
the  hill  rising  above  the  town,  with  a  very  large  statue 
of  the  Immaculate  Conception  upon  it.  This  is  the 
hill  of  San  Cristobal,  the  property  of  the  large  Domin- 
ican monastery,  the  gardens  of  which  stretch  toward 
its  base.  The  statue  on  the  summit  is  over  thirty -six 
feet  high,  and,  on  the  pedestal,  it  reaches  to  a  height 
of  more  than  seventy-two  feet.  An  American  univer- 
sity owns  an  observatory  on  this  hill. 

At  a  short  distance  from  the  foot  of  the  Santa 
Lucia,  you  will  observe  the  great  square,  or  Plaza  de 
Armas,  known,  also,  as  Plaza  de  la  Independencm, 
surrounded  by  buildings,  prominent  among  which  are 
the  cathedral,  the  archbishop's  palace,  the  palace  of 
the  intendente,  or  mayor  of  the  city,  and  the  postoflfice. 
The  large,  white  building,  with  a  spacious  garden,  be- 
yond the  plaza,  is  that  of  Congress,  and  to  the  left, 
some  distance  away,  you  will  see  the  government 
building,  in  which  the  president  resides. 

The  church,  outside  of  the  square,  on  the  right,  be- 
longs to  the  older  Dominican  monastery,  where  the 
Friars  of  that  order  first  settled.  Nearer  to  you,  back 
of  the  square,  you  will  see  the  convents  of  the  Augus- 
tinians,  and  Mercedarians,  while  on  the  long  Ala- 
meda, you  will  observe  the  church  of  San  Francisco, 


204  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

the  oldest  in  Santiago.  As  your  eye  wanders  over  the 
city,  it  will  meet  with  convents,  churches,  hospitals, 
and  institutions  of  all  kinds.  The  large  group  of  build- 
ings behind  you  in  the  distance  is  the  seminary  of  the 
diocese. 

I  would  advise  the  tourist  to  pay  at  least  two  visits 
to  the  hill  of  Santa  Lucia,  one,  as  soon  as  he  arrives 
at  Santiago,  to  conceive  a  clear  idea  of  the  topo- 
graphy of  the  city,  and  the  other,  in  order  to  har- 
monize with  the  general  plan  the  details  he  has  stud- 
ied. 

We  may  now  descend  from  the  hill,  to  visit  the 
principal  points  of  interest.  Of  course,  we  first  direct 
our  steps  to  the  great  square,  which  is  only  a  short 
distance  away  from  the  hotel  Oddo.  The  existence 
of  this  plaza  must  be  traced  back  to  the  earliest 
period  of  the  conquest,  though  the  buildings  upon  it 
are  all  of  much  later  date.  These  are  especially  the 
cathedral,  to  which  we  return  on  another  occasion, 
the  archbishop's  residence,  the  palace  of  the  inten- 
dente,  or  the  municipal  building,  and  the  postoffice. 

The  electric  street  cars,  or  tramways,  pass  around 
this  square  to  spread  to  various  parts  of  the  city.  A 
distinguishing  feature  of  many  of  these  vehicles  is 
that  they  consist  of  two  sections,  an  upper,  and  a 
lower,  connected  by  a  flight  of  steps,  like  the  London 
omnibuses,  or  the  old  Parisian  tramways,  the  lower 
being  first,  and  the  upper  second  class.  Another  feat- 
ure of  the  Chilean  tramway  which  is,  perhaps,  noticed 
in  no  other  country,  is,  that  a  large  proportion  of 
the  conductors  are  women,  who  step  lively  along  the 
sides,  climb  the  steps,  and  collect  the  fares,  with  all 
the  sangfroid  of  the  ordinary  male  conductor.  What 
they  would  do  if  it  came  to  the  point,  that  one  or 


Santiago  205 

the  other  man  should  have  to  be  put  off  the  car,  I  am 
unable  to  state. 

At  the  revolution  of  1891,  when  so  many  of  the 
men  went  to  war,  women  took  their  place  in  the  tram- 
ways, until  all  the  conductors  were  of  the  female  sex, 
quite  young  and  pretty,  with  attractive  uniforms.  Of 
course,  these  young  lady  conductors  proved  a  bait  to 
the  Santiago  young  men,  and  the  street  car  service 
became  a  matrimonial  centre,  the  conductors  passing 
from  the  tramway  to  the  hymeneal  altar.^  Then  the 
uniforms  were  taken  away,  less  attractive  women  were 
chosen  and,  at  present,  men  are  again  conducting  cars, 
though  a  considerable  proportion  of  women  remains. 

If  you  face  the  cathedral,  you  will  have  the  post- 
office  on  your  right.  The  postal  system  of  Chile  dis- 
tributes more  than  100,000,000  letters,  cards,  and 
postal  packages  a  year.  The  postoffice  of  Santiago 
employs  a  number  of  women  as  postal  clerks. 

Next  to  the  postoffice,  is  the  Intendencia,  or  muni- 
cipal building,  in  which  the  principal  offices  of  local 
administration  are  to  be  found.  It  was  here,  that, 
in  old  colonial  times,  the  captain-general  used  to  re- 
side. Among  those  who  held  this  office  we  find  the 
name  of  the  Irishman,  Ambrose  O'Higgins,  who  was, 
afterward,  viceroy  of  Peru,  and  whose  son,  Bernardo, 
was  to  be  the  hero  of  Chilean  independence. 

The  beginning  of  Ambrose  was  of  the  humblest,  but 
fortune  favored  him,  when  his  uncle,  a  Jesuit,  called 
him  to  Cadiz,  where  he  enjoyed  the  benefit  of  some 
education.  It  was  through  this  uncle  that  he  went  to 
Peru,  whence  he  passed  over  to  Chile  where  he  ob- 
tained employment  as  civil  engineer,  to  build  the  lit- 
tle houses  destined  to  shelter  the  mail  carriers  on  the 


1  The  Republic  of  Chile.    Marie  Robinson  Wright,  p.  73. 


206  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

Cordillera.  While  thus  occupied,  a  rebellion  of  the 
Araucanians  occurred,  that  caused  the  captain-gen- 
eral to  organize  a  company  of  foreign  volunteers  to 
be  commanded  by  O'Higgins.  This  was  the  making 
of  him.  He  rose  step  by  step  in  the  military  service, 
until,  in  1785,  he  was  promoted  to  be  captain-general 
of  Chile. 

Leaving  the  Plaza  de  Armas  by  the  street  running 
before  the  postoffice,  and  along  the  outer  wall  of  the 
cathedral,  you  will  soon  arrive  at  the  building  of  Con- 
gress. It  occupies  the  site  of  the  old  Jesuit  college, 
which,  for  the  illustrious  memories  clustering  around 
it,  must  be  regarded  as  of  the  first  importance  in  the 
religious,  and  literary  history  of  Spanish  America. 
The  garden,  to  the  rear  of  the  building,  is  the  site 
of  the  church  that  was  destroyed  by  fire,  in  1863, 
with  a  loss  of  about  two  thousand  lives.  A  statue 
of  the  Immaculate  Conception  now  stands  upon  the 
spot. 

The  Congress  building,  in  classic  Greco-Roman 
style,  with  beautiful  porticos  on  the  sides,  is  the  legis- 
lative hall  of  the  Eepublic.  Unlike  the  older  build- 
ings of  South  America,  it  is  comfortably  heated.  The 
circular  halls  on  either  side  are,  one  for  the  senate,  and 
the  other  for  the  house  of  deputies,  with  thirty-two 
members  for  the  former,  and  ninety-six  for  the  latter. 
Senators  are  elected  by  direct  vote,  for  a  term  of  six 
years,  in  the  proportion  of  one  for  every  three  depu- 
ties, the  senate  being  partially  renewed  every  three 
years.  Deputies  are,  also,  elected  directly  for  a  period 
of  three  years,  there  being  one  for  every  thirty  thou- 
sand inhabitants,  or  fraction  not  less  than  15,000.  As 
elsewhere  in  South  America,  the  two  main  political 
parties  are  the  conservatives  and  liberals.  Public 
men  in  Spanish  America  are,  as  a  rule,  men  of  edu- 


Santiago  207 

cation,  and,  frequently,  writers  of  no  mean  ability 
who  mold  public  opinion  by  the  pen,  as  well  as  by  the 
living  voice.  I  might  mention,  for  instance,  the  ven- 
erable senator,  and  university  professor,  Abdon 
Cifuentes,  who  is  a  prominent  member  of  the  conserva- 
tive party.  As  an  orator,  he  has  been  compared  to 
Donoso  Cortes.  His  discourses,  published  in  two  large 
volumes  were  pronounced,  not  only  in  Congress,  but 
before  various  societies  on  a  variety  of  interesting 
topics.  The  proceedings  in  Congress  appear  to  be 
characterized  by  a  certain  pleasant  air  of  informality, 
to  judge  from  a  session  of  the  senate  that  I  once  at- 
tended, when  the  speaker  delivered  his  discourse 
seated,  with  a  cigar  in  his  hand. 

Another  government  building,  not  far  off,  is  the 
Moneda,  an  immense  edifice,  with  a  very  large  patio, 
the  whole  dating  from  the  colonial  period.  As  the 
story  goes,  a  mint  had  been  ordered  built  by  the  home 
government  for  Mexico,  but,  by  some  error  or  other, 
it  was  erected  in  Santiago,  for  which  it  was  not  in- 
tended, and  thus  the  capital  of  Chile  came  into  pos- 
sesion of  the  mint,  and  the  Kepublic  obtained  a  large 
edifice  for  the  purposes  of  government.  A  portion  of 
the  building  serves  as  a  residence  for  the  president, 
for  whom  a  new,  and  separate  dwelling  is  soon  to  be 
erected.  The  other  portions  of  the  edifice  are  used  for 
various  departments  of  the  government.  Directly  op- 
posite is  the  building  devoted  to  the  army,  and  to  the 
ministry  of  war. 

In  the  vicinity  of  the  Congress,  and  back  of  the 
Plaza  de  Armas,  stands  the  Bihlioteca  Nacional,  or 
National  Library,  the  building  of  which,  dating  from 
the  colonial  epoch,  was  used  for  the  meetings  of  Con- 
gress, until  1875  and,  in  one  of  its  halls,  the  inde 
pendence  of  Chile  was  proclaimed.     The  present  edi- 


208  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

fice  is  much  too  small  for  its  purpose,  and  there  is 
question  of  erecting  a  new  one.  It  contains  about 
150,000  volumes,  with  a  reading  room  for  the  public. 
Books  may  be  borrowed,  provided  a  deposit  be  left 
at  the  library.  It  has  been  calculated,  that  the  aver- 
age circulation  amounts  to  40,000  volumes  a  year. 
Especially  interesting  to  the  student  of  Americana 
is  the  large  department  of  manuscripts,  those  of  the 
ante-suppression  Jesuits  alone  numbering  from  one  to 
two  thousand.  You  will,  also,  find  here  a  number  of 
old  paintings  of  South  American  authoriship. 

In  front  of  the  library,  a  statue  of  Andres  Bello, 
by  the  Chilean  sculptor,  Nicanor  Plaza,  keeps  fresh 
the  memory  of  one  of  the  foremost  scholars  of  Amer- 
ica. Andres  Bello  was  a  most  extraordinary,  though 
entirely  self-made  man.  Born  in  Venezuela  in  1780, 
he  added  by  his  own  efforts  to  the  little  education 
he  received  in  a  Mercedarian  monastery,  to  such  an 
extent  that  he  was  able  to  impart  his  knowledge  to 
others.  Among  his  pupils  he  counted  the  great  lib- 
erator, Simon  Bolivar,  who  was  of  his  own  age.  In 
1810,  he  accompanied  Bolivar  to  London,  where  a  new 
horizon  was  extended  before  him,  and  where  for  years, 
while  acting  as  the  diplomatic  agent  of  his  country,  he 
devoted  himself  to  literary  labors,  making  use  of  all 
the  opportunities  so  abundantly  offered  to  him,  in  the 
capital  of  Great  Britain. 

About  1829,  Bello  entered  the  service  of  Chile  which, 
henceforward,  was  to  be  his  adopted  country.  From 
now  on,  until  his  death  in  1865,  his  life  was  one  of 
ceaseless  intellectual  activity,  and  the  evolution  of  a 
prodigious  mind.  He  became  in  politics  the  oracle 
of  Spanish  America,  and  the  arbiter  of  nations.  His 
civil  code  of  Chile  would  alone  entitle  him  to  endur- 
ing fame,  and  place  him  beside  the  great  legislatori 


Santiago  209 

of  the  world.  Bello  was  the  first  rector  of  the  uni- 
versity of  Chile  from  its  organization  in  1843,  until 
his  death.  He  has  left  numerous  works,  an  edition 
of  which  was,  some  years  ago,  published  by  the  Chilean 
government.  He  enjoyed  the  greatest  esteem  among 
his  adopted  countrymen,  while  he  lived,  and  his  statue 
near  the  library  testifies  to  their  abiding  gratitude. 

Besides  the  Biblioteca  Nacional,  another  important 
library,  with  a  precious  collection  of  works  apper- 
taining to  America  is  that  of  the  Instituto  Nacional. 
The  most  valuable  collection  of  works,  however,  on 
Spanish  America  in  the  colonial  period,  probably  the 
best  collection  in  existence,  is  to  be  found  in  the 
private  library  of  Jos6  Toribio  Medina,  the  eminent 
historian,  and  bibliographer  who  has  spent  thirty-five 
years,  or  more,  of  his  life  in  collecting.  Medina  is  a 
prodigious  worker  whose  pen  has  produced  books  in- 
numerable, his  large  Biblioteca  Eispano  Americana 
being  alone  the  labor  of  a  lifetime.  He  has  his  own 
printing  press  in  his  house,  and,  therefore,  the  advan- 
tage of  beholding  the  work  done  under  his  own  eyes. 

The  reading  public  in  Spanish  America  is  neces- 
sarily limited,  and,  consequently,  the  publishing  of 
books  is  not  a  paying  investment.  In  fact,  the  pub- 
lishing of  learned  works,  such  as  Medina  produces, 
would  not  be  a  paying  investment  in  any  country. 
Only  a  man  with  the  leisure,  and  independent  exis- 
tence of  Medina  could  have  devoted  himself  to  such 
labors.  I  must  add,  however,  that  important  works 
of  national  interest  are  often  published,  or  aided  by 
the  government. 

The  home  of  Jos6  Toribio  Medina  is  a  typical 
old  colonial  residence,  with  dark,  and  cold  rooms, 
but  with  the  spacious,  traditional  courtyard,  or 
patio.     The  library  is,  of  course,  its  most  important 


210  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

feature,  an  object  really  of  international  import- 
ance. One  would  hardly  seek  such  treasures,  in  the 
quiet  street,  where  the  house  is  situated.  It  was  my 
good  fortune  to  be  led  through  his  library  by  the 
owner  himself,  and  to  enjoy  his  intellectual  conver- 
sation as  his  guest  at  table.  Really  it  refreshes  the 
mind,  in  this  matter-of-fact  world,  to  meet  occasional- 
ly scholars  like  Medina. 

If  you  will  take  the  cars  on  the  Plaza  de  Armas, 
and,  leaving  the  postoffice  on  the  right,  proceed  past 
the  building  of  Congress,  to  the  end  of  the  street, 
you  will  find  yourself  at  the  entrance  of  a  fine  park. 
A  sign  in  large  letters  will  tell  you  that  you  are  at 
the  Quinta  Normal.  The  word  quint  a  which  means 
a  country  house,  is  generally  employed  to  designate 
the  suburban  villas,  or  even  those  in  the  city,  located 
in  a  park  or  garden,  which  one  finds  so  abundantly 
in  Spanish  America.  The  Quinta  Normal,  situated 
at  the  western  end  of  the  city,  encloses  three  hundred 
and  twenty  acres,  splendidly  arranged  as  a  park,  with 
gardens,  rivulets,  lakes,  and  walks.  Here  you  will 
find  the  important  agricultural  school  to  which  I  shall 
again  refer,  the  Museum  of  Fine  Arts,  the  National 
Museum,  the  Exposition  building,  the  botanical  and 
zoological  gardens,  and  the  Museum  of  Natural  His- 
tory. 

The  Musem  of  Fine  Arts,  a  building  in  classic  style, 
contains  the  best  that  Chilean  painters  and  sculptors 
have  produced,  and,  within  its  halls,  the  annual  ex- 
hibition of  painting  and  sculpture  takes  place.  Chil- 
ean art  is  little  more  than  half  a  century  old,  and  yet 
its  artists  have  taken  a  respectable  position  in  the 
world  of  the  beautiful.  French  and  Italian  influences 
stood  sponsors  at  its  cradle,  and  contributed,  finally, 
toward  the  creation   of  the  Academy   of  Fine   Arts 


Santiago  211 

which  grew  out  of  the  Academy  of  Painting,  founded 
in  1849,  and  out  of  the  schools  of  sculpture  and  archi- 
tecture. 

The  National  Museum  is  an  old  institution  with 
two  sections,  the  one  devoted  to  natural  history,  and 
the  other  to  ethnology.  The  former  is  of  especial  in- 
terest for  its  department  of  Chilean  zoology.  The 
museum  contains  mineralogical,  botanical,  and  zoolo- 
gical collections,  with  their  subordinate  divisions.  The 
department  of  palaeontology  is  rich  in  species  found 
in  Chile,  and  for  the  study  of  Chilean  flora,  the  botan- 
ical collections  are  of  high  value.  In  the  department 
of  entomology,  at  least  sixty  thousand  specimens  are 
Chilean,  while  a  variety  of  birds  and  other  animals 
serve  to  aid  the  study  of  South  American  fauna.  The 
ethnological  collection  contains  a  number  of  Chilean 
crania,  as  well  as  mummies  from  Peru  and  Bolivia. 

The  botanical  garden,  with  its  large  conservatories, 
and  varied  species  of  plants,  is  a  fine  adjunct  to  the 
National  Museum,  and  the  same  may  be  said  of  the 
zoological  garden  and  museum  of  natural  history. 
The  Quinta  Normal  possesses,  also,  its  chemical  labor- 
atory, veterinary  institute,  and  others  of  scientific 
importance. 

In  the  exposition  building,  the  industrial  products 
of  the  country  in  every  department  are  exhibited,  to 
the  great  advantage  of  the  Chilean  manufacturer  who 
thus  finds  a  splendid  opportunity  of  exhibiting,  and 
advertising  the  results  of  his  industry. 

Santiago  may  boast  of  a  considerable  number  of  other 
public  buildings  of  interest,  to  many  of  which,  at  least 
a  brief  allusion  will  be  made,  in  our  next  chapters  on 
the  Church,  and  on  education.  However,  to  gain  a 
better  knowledge  of  the  city,  we  may  now  usefully 
proceed  to  walk,  or  drive  through  various  sections,  be- 


212  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

ginning  with  the  main  thoroughfare,  the  Alameda 
de  las  Delicias.  This  broad  and  beautiful  avenue, 
nearly  three  miles  long,  and  three  hundred  and  fifty 
feet  wide,  extends  from  the  Cerro  de  Santa  Lucia  to 
the  Central  Railway  station.  The  centre  is  occupied 
by  a  park  or  garden,  extending  the  length  of  the  ave- 
nue, with  statues,  and  other  adornments,  to  which  the 
driveways  and  tramways  run  parallel,  while  pedes- 
trians will  find  wide  trottoirs,  or  sidewalks  on  either 
side. 

The  Alameda,  at  first  an  ordinary  highway,  did  not 
assume  its  present  aesthetic  features,  until  the  famous 
administration,  as  In  ten  den  te,  of  Vicuna  Mackenna, 
when  the  city  was  paved,  and  better  lighted. 

The  monuments  on  the  Alameda  are  especially  note- 
worthy. The  equestrian  statue  of  San  Martin  rep- 
resents him  on  his  famous  passage  of  the  Andes,  and 
O'Higgins  in  bronze  on  a  marble  pedestal,  is  leaping 
a  trench  at  Rancagua.  Other  great  men  of  Chilean 
fame,  heroes  in  peace,  and  in  war,  among  them  Mac- 
kenna, are  remembered,  in  bronze  or  in  marble,  on 
the  Alameda. 

On  this  avenue,  stands  the  American  legation,  where, 
during  my  brief  sojourn  in  the  city,  the  Charge  d'Af- 
faires,  Mr.  Pierpont,  was  representing  our  govern- 
ment. I  am,  indeed,  much  indebted  to  him  for  his 
courtesy.  On  the  opposite  side,  toward  the  "Cerro," 
lives  the  Papal  internuntius. 

The  Alameda  is  crossed  by  a  large  number  of  streets 
which  in  both  directions  go  to  form  the  rectangles  of 
which  Chile's  capital  is  composed.  In  your  random 
rambles  through  Santiago,  observing  the  low  houses, 
looking  in  through  the  barred  doorways  at  the  patios, 
here  and  there  having  your  attention  drawn  to  some 
remnant  of  colonial  architecture,  you  will  meet  with 


Santiago  213 

no  inconsiderable  number  of  magnificent  private  resi- 
dences, with  all  the  luxury  and  refined  features  of 
the  modern  Kenaissance  style,  and  the  stamp  of 
France  upon  them.  Beginning  with  the  Alameda,  you 
find  some  splendid  residences  in  a  style  quite  modern, 
with  Doric,  or  Corinthian  porticos,  artistic  balconies, 
and  sixteenth  century  windows,  of  the  classic,  or  of 
the  more  ornate  Renaissance  period.  Prominent 
among  the  beautiful  homes  of  Santiago,  is  the  fine 
residence  of  Senora  MacClure  de  Edwards,  married 
into  one  of  the  prominent  Chilean  families  which,  like 
so  many  of  the  best  families  of  the  land,  has  its  rep- 
resentative among  the  clergy.  The  edifice,  in  classic 
style,  belongs  to  the  best  Renaissance,  or  Classic  per- 
iod, before  the  corruption  of  the  Baroco  had  begun  to 
vitiate  the  Greco-Roman  style.  The  windows  of  the 
first  floor  are  of  Roman,  and  those  of  the  second,  of 
Grecian  design.  A  fine  Corinthian  portico  serves  for 
the  main  entrance. 

Not  all  of  the  fine  Santiago  residences  are  put  up 
in  the  style  of  the  Renaissance,  for  the  tastes  of  the 
owners,  and  builders  have  added  the  charm  of  variety 
to  the  architecture  of  the  city.  For  instance,  the 
home  of  Senator  Guzman  gives  you  a  taste  of  Vene- 
tian Gothic,  and,  elsewhere,  you  will  be  reminded  of 
the  Alhambra,  in  the  Moorish  style  that  has  been 
chosen. 

If  you  have  letters  of  introduction,  or  if  you  have 
formed  acquaintances  in  some  other  way,  you  will 
find  Chilean  hospitality  quite  generous,  and  Santiago 
society  charming.  I  cannot  refrain  from  mentioning 
in  this  book  two  gentlemen  to  whom  I  feel  the  greatest 
indebtedness  for  their  kindness.  Senator  Joaquin 
Walker  Martinez,  formerly  Chilean  minister  to  Wash- 
ington, and  a  prominent  member  of  the  Conservative 


214  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

party,  was  untiring  in  his  attentions,  placing,  day 
after  day,  his  carriage  and  himself  at  my  disposal, 
accompanying,  and  directing  me  to  the  various  points 
of  interest. 

The  other  friend  is  Dr.  Aureliano  Oyarzun,  who  had 
been  my  fellow- Americanist  at  Buenos  Aires,  a  prom- 
inent physician,  and  man  of  science.  To  these  two 
gentlemen  I  am  indebted  for  much  that  I  saw  in 
Santiago. 

It  is  quite  probable  that  you  will  be  invited  by 
your  friends  to  breakfast,  or  dinner.  The  home  of 
your  host  may  be  one  of  the  old  style  buildings,  or  it 
may  be  a  modern  residence.  In  the  former  case,  you 
enter  from  the  street  directly  through  a  wide  door- 
way, closed  often  by  a  barred  gate  of  iron,  into  a  vesti- 
bule, on  either  side  of  which  there  may  be  a  room,  one 
being  the  parlor,  or  reception  room.  From  the  vesti- 
bule, you  pass  to  the  patio,  around  which  are  other 
rooms,  such  as  sleeping  apartments,  and  the  dining 
room.  A  Chilean  breakfast  in  its  general  features  re- 
sembles that  of  other  parts  of  South  America,  with  a 
number  of  courses  and  an  abundance  of  everything, 
chicken  being  one  of  the  ordinary  dishes.  An  article 
quite  frequent  at  table  in  Chile  and  Peru  is  panqueque, 
pancake,  deliciously  prepared,  and  eaten,  according 
to  one's  taste,  with,  or  without  honey.  Your  wines 
may  be  native  or  imported.  The  Chilean  wines  are 
first  class.  There  is  a  white,  ordinary  wine,  quite 
cheap,  that  makes  an  excellent  breakfast  drink,  and  so 
light  that  you  might  almost  take  a  gallon  of  it,  with- 
out noticing  the  effects. 

Unfortunately,  very  much  drunkenness  prevails 
among  the  lower  classes  of  Chile  who  seem  to  have 
inherited  this  vice,  as  well  as  certain  propensities  to 
theft,  from  their  Araucanian  ancestors.     At  the  end 


Santiago  215 

of  the  week  it  is  quite  common  for  laborers  to  indulge 
in  drink  to  such  an  extent  that  days  pass  before  the 
effects  have  worn  away,  and  Monday  is,  consequently, 
often  a  lost  day,  while  some  do  not  return  to  work, 
until  such  time  as  suits  their  convenience. 

Let  me  suppose,  that  you  have  been  invited  to  dine 
at  one  of  the  modern  residences.  You  will  be  ushered 
into  a  beautiful,  and  splendidly  lighted  hall,  little 
different  from  such  rooms  in  the  best  residences  of 
Europe  or  the  United  States.  Your  host,  if  he  is  a 
literary  man,  will,  most  likely,  show  you  his  library, 
and,  if  he  is  himself  an  author,  he  will,  probably, 
present  you  with  a  work  or  two  from  his  pen.  There 
are  some  fine  private  libraries  in  Chile,  that  of  the  late 
president,  Pedro  Montt,  ranking  as  one  of  the  best  in 
South  America. 

If  you  visit  the  house  in  the  day  time,  you  may, 
also,  see  the  garden  which,  in  some  cases,  is  exquis- 
itely beautiful.  Aestheticism  prevails  throughout  the 
whole  dwelling,  for  the  Latin  temperament  is  aesthe- 
tic, if  anything.  You  will  find  a  sense  of  the  beauti- 
ful everywhere,  united  to  classical  taste,  for  instance, 
in  the  Louis  XV.  salon  of  the  residence  of  Senor 
Eafael  Errazuriz. 

Our  wanderings  through  Santiago  would  be  incom- 
plete, without  a  visit  to  Cousmo  Park,  at  the  southern 
limits  of  the  city,  with  its  three  hundred  and  fifty 
acres.  A  gift  to  the  city  of  the  late  Luis  Cousiiio,  a 
coal  magnate  of  Chile,  it  is  a  favorite  resort  for  soci- 
ety in  spring,  and  autumn.  Nearby  are  the  Jockey 
Club  grounds,  and  the  Campo  de  Marto,  or  field  for 
military  reviews. 

Probably  few  visitors  to  Santiago  ever  know,  or 
even  think  of  finding  out,  where  the  house  is,  that  was 
occupied  by  Pius  IX.,  when  he  lived  in  Santiago.     If 


216  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

you  care  to  know,  then  ask  to  be  directed  tp  the 
Capuchin  convent  in  the  Calle  de  la  Bandera.  The 
house  at  the  corner  just  opposite,  now  occupied  by 
the  Christian  Brothers,  is  said  to  be  the  one  where 
Monsignor  Mastai  Ferretti  lived,  when  auditor  of  the 
nunciature  at  Santiago. 

You  may  wind  up  very  pleasantly  your  excursions 
through  Santiago  with  a  drive  past  the  quintas,  or 
suburban  villas,  of  which  there  is  a  considerable  num- 
ber, it  would  seem  almost  at  the  foot  of  the  eastern 
Cordillera. 

Keturning  home,  you  may,  if  you  wish,  pass  through 
the  slums,  with  their  conventillos,  where  the  poor  live 
in  apparent  misery,  and,  whether  necessarily  or  not, 
in  great  squalor.  However,  if  beggary  is  an  index  of 
poverty,  or  pauperism  in  a  city,  then  Santiago,  like 
Buenos  Aires,  is  prosperous,  at  least  when  compared 
to  some  other  places. 

On  your  arrival  in  Santiago,  especially  if  it  be  in 
the  morning,  you  will  be  greatly  impressed  by  the 
costume  of  the  women.  All,  rich  and  poor,  externally 
at  least,  dress  alike,  for  all  wear  the  manto,  and,  dur- 
ing the  forenoon,  few  hats  are  to  be  seen.  The  manto 
is  distinctively  Chilean,  and  no  woman  may  enter  the 
church  with  a  hat.  It  is  a  great  leveller,  doing  away, 
as  it  does,  with  all  class  distinctions,  and  proving  an 
effectual  barrier  to  female  vanity.  Should  a  lady  at- 
tempt to  enter  a  church  with  a  hat,  she  will,  most  like- 
ly as  not,  be  insulted  by  the  women  of  the  people. 

We  can  easily  understand,  that  the  manto  is  not  in 
favor  with  the  more  modern  element,  but  the  eccles- 
iastical authorities  are  inexorable.  Its  adversaries  say 
that  it  keeps  the  ladies  away  from  the  church  in  the 
afternoon,  when  hats  universally  take  its  place,  while 
the  advocates  of  the  old  Chilean  custom  advance  in 


Chilean  Lady  with  Maxto 


Santiago  217 

its  favor  the  greater  modesty  and  humility  of  attire, 
more  becoming  to  the  house  of  God. 

Women  of  the  people  wear  the  manto  at  all  times, 
but  ladies  of  the  better  class  discard  it  in  the  after- 
noon for  the  hat.  They  would  not  be  seen  with  it  in 
the  evening,  when  it  is  adopted  even  by  the  demimonde, 
as  it  affords  better  opportunities  for  concealment. 

The  Chilean  lady,  tall  and  slender  as  she  often  is, 
walks  with  a  firm,  elastic,  and  independent  step.  She 
is  naturally  graceful,  and  the  manto  renders  her  more 
so.  I  will  leave  a  description  of  it  to  one  more  com- 
petent than  myself,  to  a  lady: 

"The  foreigner,'^  writes  Marie  Kobinson  Wright,* 
"if  her  manto  has  been  aranged  by  her  own  hands,  is 
easily  distinguishable  from  the  Chilean.  She  has  prob- 
ably thought  it  sufficient  to  throw  one  end  of  it  over 
her  head,  and  wrap  the  rest  around  her  shoulders, 
fastening  it  at  the  back  of  the  neck  with  a  jewelled 
clasp.  But  that  is  not  all  the  art  of  manto  veiling. 
The  Chilean,  on  the  contrary,  gives  it  a  grace  of  her 
own  creation.  She  arranges  her  manto  with  deft  fing- 
ers, being  careful  to  pose  it  on  her  head  in  the  most 
attractive  way.  In  drawing  its  folds  over  her  should- 
ers, she  knows  how  to  give  the  drapery  an  artistic 
effectiveness  that  a  Paris  gown  could  never  achieve.  The 
style  of  wearing  the  manto  is  as  diverse  as  the  charac- 
ter and  temperament  of  the  wearers.  When  my  lady 
steps  from  her  carriage  at  the  church  door,  her  ap- 
pearance reveals  to  the  careful  observer  all  that  the 
most  conventional  costume  would  indicate.  A  swish 
of  skirts  displays  the  daintiest  of  feet,  encased  in  the 
finest  of  shoes — for  Chilean  women  are  renowned  for 
their  small  feet — and  in  the  poise  of  the  head,  in  the 

2  The  Republic  of  Chile,  p.  118. 


218  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

manner  of  carrying  the  prayerbook  and  the  rosary, 
and  in  a  thousand  indefinable  trifles  that  enhance  the 
charm  of  mystery  which  the  manto  gives,  there  is  an 
open  book  for  the  student  of  human  nature.  From  the 
grande  dame  to  the  little  shopgirl,  the  same  feminine 
trait  may  be  discerned  through  the  guise  of  the  manto. 
The  dignified  matron,  the  happy  novia,  the  coquettish 
senorita,  each  has  her  own  particular  style — severe, 
elaborate,  or  insinuating — and  each  betrays  her  be- 
setting vanity  as  clearly  as  if  arrayed  in  the  most  mod- 
ern dress.  The  manto  is  thin  enough  sometimes  to 
show  the  fashionable  bodice  underneath;  and,  alas, 
it  is  thick  enough  at  other  times  to  conceal  the  all 
too  careless  toilette!" 

I  may  add  that  the  manto  is  simply  a  square  piece 
of  black  cloth,  thrown  over  the  head,  the  folds  of 
which  are  fastened  back  of  the  shoulders.  It  gives  to 
the  wearers,  when  kneeling  in  church,  the  appearance 
of  so  many  nuns. 

The  Chilean  lady  is  more  free  than  in  most  Latin 
countries,  and  she  goes  about  without  the  everlasting 
necessity  of  a  duena,  or  chaperone,  knowing  how  to 
take  care  of  herself,  nor  being  subjected  to  annoyance. 
In  this  regard,  Chile  resembles  the  United  States. 

Another  feature  of  the  Chilean  capital  is  its  still- 
ness at  night.  People  may  go  to  the  theatre,  or  to 
social  entertainments,  but  few  are  abroad,  and  the 
fashionable  resorts,  like  the  Alameda,  are  almost  de- 
serted. The  stores  and  shops  are  closed  with  immense 
shutters,  and  all  seems  dead.  I  write  from  my  own 
impressions,  but  others  tell  me  that,  at  night,  the 
Plaza  presents  a  very  lively  scene,  with  its  promen- 
aders  who  go  round  and  round  to  the  sound  of  fine 
music,  and  that  often  the  crowds  remain  until  long 
after  midnight.    It  is  possible  that,  during  my  stay  in 


Santiago  219 

the  city,  the  cold  weather  kept  people  indoors,  or  that 
I  never  happened  to  go  to  the  Plaza,  when  it  was 
alive,  though  I  have  visited  it  at  nine  or  ten  o'clock,  to 
find  it  practically  deserted. 

Another  quiet  hour,  when  business  is,  more  or  less, 
suspended,  is  that  of  the  almuerzo,  or  breakfast,  some 
time  between  eleven  and  one.  You  will  then  find 
many  of  the  business  places  closed,  for  Santiago  takes 
time  to  eat. 

Besides  being  the  head  and  heart  of  the  nation, 
Santiago  is,  also,  an  industrial  centre,  giving  occu- 
pation to  thousands  of  working  people,  with  a  con- 
siderable number  of  factories,  large  and  small,  of 
various  kinds. 

Among  the  great  commercial  houses,  especial  men- 
tion is  deserved  by  that  of  W.  R.  Grace  &  Company 
which  exerts  such  marked  influence  in  South  Amer- 
ican trade.  The  firm  has  a  house  at  Santiago,  and 
another  at  Valparaiso. 

If  you  can  find  time  to  read  newspapers,  on  your 
travels,  they  will  give  you  an  insight  into  the  daily 
commercial,  as  well  as  social  life  of  the  people.  Chil- 
ean newspapers,  with  their  colored  supplement  on 
feast  days,  are  different  in  appearance  from  the  Eng- 
lish, American,  or  Argentine  papers,  but  they  are 
quite  up-to-date  with  editorials,  news,  local  and  for- 
eign, and  an  abundance  of  advertisements.  The  Sun- 
day papers  are  large  with  much  matter.  I  have  lying 
before  me  a  Sunday  copy  of  El  Mercurio,  with  twenty- 
four  pages,  as  large  as  those  of  the  Baltimore  Sun. 
The  Mercumo,  published  in  Valparaiso,  as  well  as  in 
Santiago,  is  the  leading  paper  of  Chile.  El  Mercurio 
has  in  the  past,  been  directed  by  such  editors  as  Bar- 
tolom^  Mitre,  and  Sarmiento  of  Argentina,  while  Diego 
Portales,  Benjamin  Vicuna  Mackenna,  Andres  Bello, 


220  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

Diego  Barros  Arana,  and  Miguel  Luis  Amunategui, 
literary  stars  of  Chile,  have  all  contributed  to  it. 
Other  newspapers  of  Santiago  are  El  Porvenir,  and  La 
Union,  both  Catholic,  La  Lei,  Liberal,  besides  El  Ch4l- 
enOj  La  Tarde,  and  so  forth. 


Chapter  XV. 
THE  CHURCH  AND  EDUCATION  IN  CHILE. 

The  " Conquistador es"  —  Valdivia  —  Franciscans  —  Padre  Er- 
razuriz — San  Francisco — The  Cathedral — Bishop  Villaroel 
— Union  of  Church  and  State— The  Clergy — Parishes — 
Societies  —  Ladies  of  South  America  —  Catholic  Papers  — 
The  Seminary — The  Dominicans — Augustinians — La  Merced 
— Jesuits — Protestants  in  Chile — Education  in  Colonial 
Times — Present  Education — Pedagogy — State  University — 
Religion  in  the  Schools  —  Archbishop  Casanova  —  The 
Catholic  University. 

The  Spanish  conquistadores,  whatever  their  private 
conduct  may  have  been,  were,  as  a  rule,  devoted  to 
the  Church,  and,  though  their  lives  were  often  lax; 
with  few  exceptions,  they  wished  to  die  well.  There 
are  strange  contradictions  in  the  Latin  temperament 
of  the  sixteenth  century,  in  which  strong  faith,  and 
lax  morality  often  go  hand  in  hand.  The  atmosphere 
of  the  age  was  not  conducive  to  good  morals,  for  the 
spirit  of  the  Pagan  Kenaissance  had  invaded  the  world 
in  science,  in  literature,  and  in  the  arts,  and  it  could 
not  be  but  that  it  should  exercise  an  influence  on  the 
morals  of  the  people.  Yet,  though  the  Spaniards  might 
lapse  into  serious  transgressions,  we  are  not  aware, 
that  they  sought  principles  to  justify  their  conduct, 
and,  with  that  strong  faith,  always  characteristic  of 
Spain,  though  they  might,  for  a  time,  stifle  the  voice 
of  their  conscience,  they,  finally,  yielded  to  its  dictates, 
sometimes  going  to  the  opposite  extreme.  Charles  V., 
Heman,  Cortes,  Lope  de  Vega,  Ercilla  y  Zuniga,  all 
had  their  lapses,  yet,  in  later  life,  they  strove  to  make 

221 


222  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

amends.  It  is  then  no  wonder,  that  we  find  similar 
contradictions  in  the  early  history  of  Chile. 

If  the  conqueror  of  Mexico  marched  into  the  coun- 
try with  Dona  Marina,  Valdivia  had  his  Dona  Inez. 
It  is  indeed  a  picture  of  the  times  to  behold  Pedro  de 
Vadivia  advancing  down  the  valley  at  the  head  of  his 
cavaliers,  with  a  little  image  of  the  Blessed  Virgin  in 
front  of  his  saddle,  and  Dona  Inez  de  Suarez  on  the 
crupper.  It  was  this  Dona  Inez  who,  when  Valdivia 
had  gone  to  the  south,  saved  the  little  garrison  of 
Santiago  from  destruction,  by  having  the  heads  of  the 
Indian  prisoners  thrown  into  the  enemy's  ranks,  and 
then  charging  them,  at  the  head  of  the  cavalry. 

The  little  image  of  the  Blessed  Virgin  of  Valdivia, 
his  companion  on  his  journeys  in  Flanders,  Italy,  and 
Peru,  is  now  preserved  above  the  main  altar  in  the 
church  of  San  Francisco,  on  the  Alameda,  where  I 
saw  it,  on  my  visit  to  that  church.  Valdivia  met 
an  untimely  death,  but,  before  the  end  came,  he  had 
reconciled  himself  to  God  and  to  his  duty. 

Valdivia,  like  the  conquistadores  generally,  had  been 
accompanied  by  ecclesiastics.  Among  the  priests  who 
may  have  gone  down  the  valley  with  the  first  con- 
querors, came,  also,  a  secular  ecclesiastic,  Don  Bar- 
tolome  Rodrigo  Gonzales  Marmolejo.  Six  years  after 
the  foundation  of  Santiago,  the  bishop  of  Cuzco,  Don 
Juan  Solano,  to  whose  jurisdiction  Chile  was  subject, 
appointed  Marmolejo  parish  priest  of  Santiago,  and 
vicar  for  the  whole  district  of  Chile.  The  church  to 
which  he  was  thus  assigned  grew  in  course  of  time 
to  be  the  cathedral,  the  oldest  parish  in  Chile.  As 
there  was  great  need  of  missionaries  in  the  country, 
ten  years  after  his  arrival,  Valdivia  sent  a  petition 
for  laborers  in  the  field  to  the  king  of  Spain.  In  re- 
sponse to  this  petition,  five  Franciscans  passed  over 


The  Church  and  Education  in  Chile  223 

from  Lima  to  Chile,  in  1553,  under  Father  Martin  de 
Robleda. 

Their  first  establishment  was  in  a  little  hermitage 
at  the  foot  of  Santa  Lucia.  The  chapel  which,  today, 
stands  beneath  the  hill  reminds  you  of  those  early 
days  of  Santiago,  and  of  Valdivia.  It  is  at  present 
served  by  a  venerable  Dominican,  famous  in  the  lit- 
erature of  his  country,  one  of  that  old  generation  of 
scholars  that  has  nearly  passed  away. 

Father  Crescente  Errazuriz,  member  of  a  distin- 
guished Chilean  family,  and  of  that  Dominican  con- 
gregation, known  as  the  Recolleccion  Dominicana,  is 
now  spending  his  old  age  in  his  hermit  life,  at  the 
foot  of  Santa  Lucia.  He  may  look  back  at  a  long 
career  of  usefulness,  for  he  is  now  seventy-one  years  of 
age.  He  is  the  author  of  several  learned  works  on 
Chilean  history,  of  which  he  presented  to  me  some  val- 
uable copies,  when  I  had  the  honor  of  paying  him  a 
visit  in  his  modest  dwelling,  near  the  historic  old 
Cerro.  His  brother  Maximiano,  known  as  an  able 
statesman,  visited  the  United  States  in  1865,  on  a  con- 
fidential mission. 

The  Franciscans  had  been  eight  months  in  the  her- 
mitage of  Santa  Lucia,  when  they  passed  to  that  of 
El  Socorro,  a  Lady  chapel,  erected  by  the  Spaniards, 
in  gratitude  for  their  victory  in  1841  over  the  Indians. 
The  site  of  this  chapel  is  now  occupied  by  the  church 
on  the  Alameda,  known  as  San  Francisco,  in  which 
Valdivia's  wooden  image  of  Our  Lady  of  Succor  is 
preserved. 

As  this  is  the  oldest  existing  church  in  Santiago, 
we  shall  pay  to  it  our  first  visit.  The  cornerstone  of 
the  edifice  was  laid  on  June  5,  1572,  and,  in  1594,  it 
was  opened  to  worship.  Aided  by  donations  of  the 
king,  it  was  finished  in   1618,  though  the  tower  was 


224  Lands  of  the  Southern  Gross 

not  completed  until  1640.  The  church  of  San  Fran- 
cisco is  the  only  monument  in  Santiago  that  has  lasted 
since  the  sixteenth  century,  and  that  has  withstood 
the  frequent  and  terrible  earthquakes  of  Chile.  Its 
walls  of  enormous  blocks,  strongly  cemented,  look  as 
if  they  might  still  withstand  many  a  catastrophe. 

Adjoining  the  church,  stands  the  old  convent  with 
several  interesting  cloisters.  The  first,  with  its  orig- 
inal arches,  dates  from  1623;  but  the  second,  destroyed 
by  the  earthquake  of  1647,  was  rebuilt  on  an  entirely 
different  plan.^ 

The  old  Franciscans  that  came  to  America  were 
earnest  men,  and  heroic  laborers.  From  Mexico  to 
southern  Chile  they  devoted  themselves  to  the  salva- 
tion of  the  Indians,  and,  to  their  pen,  we  owe  much 
of  what  has  been  preserved  to  us  of  Indian  ethnology. 
The  correspondence  of  the  times  exhibits  them  as  fear- 
less men,  not  hesitating  even  to  tell  the  truth  to  the 
king  himself,  and  to  point  out  to  him  his  duties.  From 
such  men,  Valdivia  could  expect  no  compromise  with 
conscience.  They  hesitated  not  to  rebuke,  even  pub- 
licly, the  vices  of  the  man,  and  they  finally  brought 
about  his  complete  conversion. 

The  cloisters  are,  in  winter  at  least,  damp,  and 
cold,  and  one  wonders  how  the  old  cells  with  a  door 
and  window  opening  on  the  cloister,  dark,  damp  and 
chilly,  could  have  been  occupied  by  human  beings. 
These  cells  are  no  longer  employed  as  sleeping  apart- 
ments, but  several  of  them  have  been  turned  into  a 
museum,  with  a  most  interesting  collection  of  relics 
of  the  old  colonial  period. 

The  library  of  the  monastery  contains  about  thirty- 
two  thousand  volumes.     Unfortunately,  there  is  very 


1  Historia  de  las  Misiones  del  Colegio  de  Chilian.     Roberto 
Lagos. 


The  Church  and  Education  in  Chile  225 

little  of  the  colonial  period  in  so  many  of  the  mon- 
astic libraries,  as  much,  very  much  has  been  destroyed 
by  the  many  revolutions  that  have  passed  over  South 
America.  The  library  of  San  Francisco  is,  however, 
in  possession  of  a  rare  copy  of  that  old  Franciscan 
chronicler  of  Peru,  Cordoba  y  Salinas,  which  was 
donated  to  it  by  the  historian,  Jos6  Toribio  Medina. 

From  San  Francisco,  we  may  now  pass  over  to  the 
Plaza  de  Armas,  and  devote  some  attention  to  the 
cathedral,  and  to  the  general  condition  of  the  Church 
in  Chile,  past  and  present. 

The  diocese  of  Santiago  was  erected  by  Pius  IV.  in 
1561,  with  Gonzalez  Marmolejo  as  its  first  bishop,  suf- 
fragan to  the  archbishop  of  Lima.  Marmolejo  was  at 
that  time  old  and  sickly,  and  he  died  the  year  after  his 
appointment,  without  being  consecrated.  His  suc- 
cessor, Fernando  de  Barrionuevo,  was  a  Franciscan. 
Santiago  did  not  become  a  metropolitan  see,  until  1841, 
although  O'Higgins  had  solicited  the  privilege  as  early 
as  1821.  From  its  beginning,  it  has  had  twenty-one 
bishops,  and  four  archbishops.  The  present  incum- 
bent, since  1908,  is  Dr.  Juan  Ignacio  Gonzalez. 

Probably  the  most  distinguished  of  the  bishops  in 
the  colonial  period,  was  the  Ecuadorian,  Caspar  Vil- 
laroel,  who  occupied  the  see  from  1637  to  1651,  when 
he  was  promoted  to  the  archiepiscopal  see  of  Arequipa 
in  Peru.  An  Augustinian  Friar,  renowned  no  less  for 
his  virtues  than  for  his  learning  and  writings,  Vil- 
laroel  is  an  important  figure  in  the  history  of  ecclesi- 
astical literature  in  the  colonial  period.  It  was  while 
he  was  bishop  of  Santiago,  that  the  great  earthquake 
of  1647  occurred,  destroying  the  old  cathedral,  and 
burying  the  bishop  beneath  the  ruins.  When  he  had 
been  drawn  out  wounded,  instead  of  looking  after  his 
own  safety,  he  spent  the  whole  night  on  the  Plaza, 


226  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

attending  to  the  wants  of  his  people.  Villaroel  rebuilt 
his  cathedral  in  the  short  space  of  a  year  and  a  half. 

The  present  cathedral,  it  seems,  was  begun  by 
Bishop  Juan  Gonzalez  Melgarejo,  about  the  middle 
of  the  eighteenth  century.  His  successor,  Manuel  de 
Alday  y  Azpee,  known,  on  account  of  a  published  work, 
as  the  Ambrose  of  the  Indies ^  and  one  of  the  most 
excellent  orators  of  his  day,  continued  the  work  on  the 
cathedral,  but  did  not  live  to  complete  it  at  his  death 
in  1788. 

The  bishop  at  the  time  of  the  revolution  was  Jos6 
Santiago  Eodriguez  Zorilla.  Though  a  Chilean  by 
birth,  he  does  not  appear  to  have  had  the  sympathy 
of  the  triumphant  party,  as  we  find  him  exiled  about 
1825,  when  Cienfuegos,  of  whom  I  wrote  in  a  former 
chapter,  was  called  to  administer  the  diocese.  The 
last  bishop,  Zorrilla,  died  in  1832,  and  from  that  year, 
the  see  remained  vacant,  until  1843,  when  Manuel 
Vicuna  was  appointed  the  first  archbishop.  The  suc- 
cessor of  Vicuna  was  the  famous  Kafael  Valentin  Val- 
divieso  whose  name  one  hears  at  every  step,  a  man 
who  did  so  much  for  the  Church  in  Chile,  and  contri- 
buted greatly  to  raise  the  secular  clergy  to  the  high 
standard  it  bears  today,  at  the  head  of  the  entire 
clergy  of  South  America.  Valdivieso  died  in  1878, 
leaving  an  imperishable  memory.  A  splendid  mauso- 
leum in  the  cathedral,  with  a  recumbent  effigy  of  the 
archbishop,  marks  the  spot  where  his  remains  lie. 
Quite  a  number  of  slabs  in  the  sacred  edifice  record 
the  names  of  former  bishops  who  found  their  last  rest- 
ing place  in  the  cathedral.  Among  these  we  find  the 
name  of  that  Gonzalez  Marmolejo  to  whom  we  have 
several  times  referred,  the  first  priest,  and  first  bishop- 
elect  of  Chile. 


The  Church  and  Education  in  Chile  227 

The  see  of  Santiago  remained  vacant  eight  years, 
after  the  death  of  Valdivieso,  until  the  distinguished 
Mariano  Casanova  ascended  its  pontifical  throne.  The 
pastoral,  and  other  letters,  as  well  as  some  of  the  dis- 
courses of  the  late  Archbishop  Casanova  have  been 
published  in  a  fine  volume  from  the  press  of  B.  Herder 
at  Freiburg  in  Brisgau. 

The  present  cathedral,  now  facing  the  Plaza,  con- 
trary to  its  former  position,  has  recently  been  com- 
pletely renovated.  Built  in  classic  style,  it  may  be 
regarded  as  one  of  the  finest  churches  in  South  Amer- 
ica. The  sombre  interior,  with  its  nave  and  aisles, 
and  its  dark  side  chapels,  creates  an  impression  of 
solemnity.  In  the  very  spacious  sanctuary,  the  canons 
meet  at  stated  intervals  to  recite,  and  sing  the  office, 
assisted  by  a  most  efficient  boys'  choir.  At  the  solemn 
High  Mass  which  is  celebrated  every  morning,  you  will 
be  impressed  by  the  black-veiled  women  kneeling  in 
the  nave,  with  a  few  men,  here  and  there.  Others  of 
the  manto  sex  are,  perhaps,  kneeling,  or  squatted  on 
the  pavement  before  the  side  altars,  exercising  their 
private  devotions.  The  sacristies  are  large,  and  com- 
modious, and  the  first  sacristan,  or  sacristan  mayor, 
the  priest,  Senor  Koa,  is  a  most  courteous,  kind,  and 
obliging  ecclesiastic,  whose  intelligent  conversation  I 
several  times  enjoyed,  when  partaking  of  his  hospi- 
tality, at  the  early  morning  coffee  after  Mass. 

Church  and  state  are  united  in  Chile,  as  elsewhere 
in  South  America,  and  the  former  is  held  in  high 
honor.  She  has  her  enemies,  it  is  true,  but  they  are 
not  so  pronounced  as  in  some  other  countries.  The 
conservative  party,  fearless  and  active,  fights  strenu- 
ously for  her  rights,  though  the  moderate  liberals  are 
by  no  means  all  hostile  to  the  Church,  and  some  of 
them  are  practical  Catholics. 


228  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

The  secular  clergy,  a  highly  esteemed  body  of  men, 
is  recruited  from  the  best  families,  whereby  a  distin- 
guishing mark  is  attached  to  the  Chilean  church.  The 
old  Friars,  at  one  time  so  active  in  Spanish  America, 
while  they  retain  their  wealth,  have  apparently  lost 
much  of  their  prestige.  Though  they  are  edifying  by 
their  conduct,  they  do  not  seem  to  have  kept  pace 
with  the  times,  and  the  fact  that  they  have  recruited 
their  ranks  too  easily,  with  perhaps  too  little  dis- 
crimination and  preparation,  has  made  them  descend 
somewhat  from  the  commanding  intellectual  position 
they  once  occupied.  That  the  old  orders  in  Chile  ar« 
very  wealthy  can  easily  be  understood,  when  we  re- 
flect, that  they  have  been  in  the  country  since  the 
conquest,  and,  as  their  property  has  remained  cor- 
porate and  undivided  in  the  various  orders,  it  has 
naturally  increased  in  value,  during  the  centuries. 

In  Chile,  as  in  Argentina  and  other  countries  where 
Church  and  state  are  united,  the  bishops  are  nomina- 
ted by  the  government,  the  candidates  requiring  their 
confirmation  from  the  Pope.  The  hierarchy  of  Chile 
consists  of  one  archbishop,  three  bishops,  and  two 
vicars-apostolic.  Besides  Santiago,  the  dioceses  are 
Concepcion,  Serena,  and  Ancud,  and  the  vicariates 
apostolic,  Tarapacd  and  Antofagasta. 

Last  year,  there  were  about  four  hundred  secular, 
and  over  seven  hundred  regular  priests  in  the  diocese 
of  Santiago  alone.  The  same  diocese,  has  nineteen 
religious  orders  of  men,  including  the  Christian  Broth- 
ers, and  twenty  orders  of  women.  It  is  useless  to  pass 
in  review  the  entire  clergy  of  Chile,  but  it  will  suf- 
fice to  say,  that  the  other  dioceses  cannot  be  so  abun- 
dantly supplied.  Serena,  for  instance,  had  little  more 
than  sixty  secular  priests,  while  in  the  vicariate  of 


The  Church  and  Education  in  Chile  229 

Antofagasta  there  were  only  fourteen  secular,  and  nine 
regular  priests. 

It  is  evident  that  the  distribution  of  ecclesiastics 
in  the  Church  is  very  unequal,  complaints  meeting  us 
from  all  sides  of  the  scarcity  of  priests,  while,  in  some 
countries,  we  find  monasteries  filled  with  members  of 
their  respective  orders. 

There  are  about  fifteen  or  more  parish  churches  in 
the  city  of  Santiago,  besides  the  churches  of  regulars 
and  various  other  churches  and  chapels.  Quite  a  num- 
ber of  the  priests  have  no  special  charge,  exercising 
a  free  ministry,  wherever  their  services  may  happen 
to  be  in  demand. 

There  are  a  number  of  pious,  and  charitable  soci- 
eties in  Santiago,  some  of  them  quite  old.  The 
Hermandad  de  San  Pedro,  for  instance,  has  as  its  ob- 
ject to  attend  to  the  burial  of  priests,  and  to  offer 
prayers  for  their  soul.  The  Hermandad  de  Dolores, 
or  Institute  of  Evangelical  Charity,  established  at 
the  time  of  the  revolution,  to  honor  Our  Lady  of 
Sorrows,  in  behalf  of  the  imprisoned  patriots,  now  de- 
votes itself  to  visiting  the  sick  poor  in  their  homes. 
This  society  has,  also,  a  branch  for  ladies.  Another 
society,  that  of  St.  John  Francis  Eegis,  endeavors  to 
facilitate  the  marriage  of  the  poor.  Others  have  as 
object  the  promotion  of  good  morals,  and  of  Christian 
education.  The  society  of  the  Good  Press,  and  the 
Bibliographical  society  have  chosen  for  their  work  the 
diffusion  of  useful  books,  and  periodicals. 

An  institution  that  one  will  find  in  South  America, 
notably  in  Chile  and  Peru,  is  that  of  retreat  houses, 
or  Casas  de  Ejercicios  Espirituales,  to  which  people 
may  retire  to  make  a  retreat.  There  are,  at  least, 
twenty-two  such  establishments  in  different  parts  of 
the  diocese  of  Santiago. 


230  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

The  ladies  of  South  America  in  general,  and  in 
Chile  in  particular,  are  closely  identified  with  works 
of  charity.  The  Chilean  woman  is  intensely  religious, 
and  her  religion  renders  her  expansive.  "Always  hope- 
ful, always  ready  to  meet  the  experiences  of  life,  what- 
ever they  may  be,  with  a  cheerful  heart,  the  Chilean 
woman  finds  her  greatest  consolation  and  joy  in  the 
soothing  and  elevating  influence  of  the  Church. 
.  .  .  It  is  noticeable  to  a  stranger  that  the  most 
beautiful  residences  are  pointed  out  as  the  homes  of 
^the  president  of  the  orphans'  asylum,'  or  ^the  director 
of  the  Childrpu'--  Hospital.'  The  Senora  Doiia  Mag- 
dalena  Vicuna  de  Subercaseaux,  although  a  great- 
grandmother,  is  still  active  in  many  charities,  and  her 
daughter,  Senora  Emiliana  Subercaseaux  de  Concha, 
gives  much  of  her  time  and  attention,  as  well  as  very 
liberal  contributions,  to  the  cause  of  the  unfortunate 
and  afflicted  among  the  "poor."  ^ 

The  Catholic  clergy  in  Chile  make  good  use  of  the 
press,  to  extend  their  influence.  Among  other  period- 
icals, they  conduct  La  Revista  Catolica,  which  appears 
every  two  weeks,  with  articles  on  religion,  sociology, 
national  history,  philology,  and  so  forth.  It  is  the 
organ  of  the  clergy. 

La  Union  is  a  Catholic  daily,  with  three  editions, 
appearing  in  Santiago,  Valparaiso,  and  Concepcion. 
Founded  by  the  present  archbishop,  it  is  now  owned 
by  a  priest,  Senor  Casanueva.  This  newspaper  has  a 
fine  plant.  When  I  visited  it,  they  were  celebrating 
the  installation  of  a  new  printing  press. 

The  different  dioceses  have  each  their  seminary,  in 
which  young  men  are  educated  for  the  priesthood. 
The  great  seminary   of   Santiago  is  said   to   be  the 


2  Wright ;  The  Republic  of  Chile,  p.  118-120. 


The  Church  and  Education  in  Chile  231 

largest  in  America,  excepting,  probably,  the  grand 
seminaire  of  Montreal.  It  exists  since  1585,  having 
been  founded  by  Bishop  Diego  de  Medellin,  after  his 
return  from  the  third  Council  of  Lima.  Last  year 
it  had  485  students,  80  in  the  great,  and  405  in  the 
little  seminary,  for  the  institution  consists  of  two 
departments. 

Among  the  interesting  objects  guarded  in  the  sem- 
inary of  Santiago  is  a  large  crucifix,  said  to  have 
been  donated  to  some  official,  or  body  of  officials,  by 
the  Emperor  Charles  V.  The  crucifix  before  which 
the  patriots  swore  to  safeguard  the  independence  of 
Chile  is,  also,  preserved  here. 

There  are  quite  a  number  of  churches  in  Santiago 
that  possess  considerable  interest,  and  several  of  them 
date  from  the  colonial  period.  Among  the  old  par- 
ishes, I  may  mention  Santa  Ana,  founded  in  1635, 
San  Isidro,  1687,  and  San  Lazaro,  1775. 

The  churches  of  the  old  Mendicant  orders  deserve 
especial  attention,  on  account  of  their  antiquity,  and 
their  relation  to  the  ecclesiastical  history  of  the  coun- 
try. First  among  these,  after  San  Francisco,  is  the 
Dominican  church,  one  square  north  of  the  Plaza. 
The  Catalog 0  de  los  Eclesiasticos  de  Ambos  Cleros,. 
the  clerical  directory  of  Chile,  affirms,  that  the  Dom- 
inicans were  the  first  religious  to  establish  themselves 
in  Chile,  but  Roberto  Lagos  in  his  Eistoria  de  las 
Misiones  del  Colegio  de  Chilian ,  proves  that  the  hon- 
or belongs  to  the  Franciscans.  At  all  events,  the  Dom- 
inicans soon  followed,  early  in  the  second  half  of  the 
sixteenth  century.  The  old  church  of  Santo  Domingo 
was  destroyed  by  fire,  and  the  present  large,  and  mas- 
sive edifice  was  erected  in  1808.  Next  to  the  church 
is  the  monastery,  but  concealed  from  view  by  minor 


232  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

buildings  on  the  street,  from  which  you  enter  directly 
into  a  large  courtyard. 

Of  greater  interest  is  the  other  Dominican  church, 
much  further  north,  at  the  foot  of  the  Cerro  de  San 
Cristobal.  This  is  the  church  belonging  to  the  mon- 
astery of  La  Recolleccion  Dormnicana,  established  in 
1754,  by  Father  Manuel  de  Acuna,  as  a  strict  reform 
of  the  order,  though,  from  what  I  glean,  it  no  longer 
observes  to  the  letter  its  original  austerity.  This  mon- 
astery, until  recently,  depending  directly  on  the  gen- 
eral of  the  order,  was  not  subject  to  the  provincial 
of  Chile.    The  Fathers  are  said  to  be  very  wealthy. 

The  church  is  surely  one  of  the  finest  in  Santiago, 
built  in  the  Renaissance  style,  like  most  of  the  South 
American  churches,  with  immense  pillars  of  carrara 
marble,  each  consisting  of  three  blocks,  that  were 
brought  from  Valparaiso  in  oxcarts,  before  the  rail- 
road existed.  The  edifice  is  comparatively  modern. 
The  story  is  told,  that  Pope  Pius  IX.  had  sent  a 
marble  column  for  the  altar  of  the  old  church,  and  that 
an  altar  was  built  expressly  for  the  column.  After  it 
was  finished,  it  apeared  too  beautiful  for  the  church, 
and  the  decision  was  taken  to  put  up  a  new  building 
to  match  the  altar,  hence  the  splendid  edifice,  which 
was  erected  by  the  Fathers  at  their  own  expense. 

After  the  church,  the  principal  object  of  interest 
is  the  large  library,  la  Dominica,  of  which  the  cele- 
brated Father,  Domingo  Aracena,  was,  at  one  time, 
librarian.  This  distinguished  writer  completely  ar- 
ranged the  library  that  he  found  in  great  confusion,^ 
and  which  has  been  regarded  as  one  of  the  best  in 
Spanish  America,  not  only  for  the  number  of  volumes 
it  contains,  but,  also,  for  their  value.  Father  Ara- 
cena was  a  member  of  the  University  of  Chile,  of  the 


The  Church  and  Education  in  Chile  233 

Koman  Academy,  and  of  the  Episcopal  Institute  of 
Brazil.    He  died  in  1874. 

From  the  church  of  the  Recolleccion  Dominicana, 
we  may  now  retrace  our  steps,  recrossing  the  Plaza 
de  Armas,  to  pay  a  visit  to  that  of  the  Augustinians. 
The  Friars  of  this  order  came  to  Chile  from  Peru  in 
1595.  Their  present  monastery  stands  on  the  old  site 
where  the  "Calle  del  Estado"  (State  street),  formerly 
"Calle  del  Key"  (King  street),  meets  the  "Calle  Au- 
gustinas.'^  The  Augustinians  share  in  the  general 
wealth  of  the  Mendicant  orders,  in  spite  of  revolu- 
tions and  confiscations  that  may  have  passed  over  the 
country.  The  side  of  the  monastery  on  the  Calle  del 
Estado  is  entirely  built  up  with  dwellings,  and  stores, 
the  rental  of  which  is  an  abiding  source  of  revenue 
for  the  convent.  I  must  not  forget  to  state,  however, 
that  a  good  use  is  made  of  their  riches  by  these  old 
orders  in  the  gratuitous  schools  for  the  poor,  which 
they  conduct.  The  Augustinians  have,  also,  a  college 
for  boys  in  their  monastery,  with  a  good  cabinet  of 
physics,  and  natural  sciences. 

Although  the  church  and  monastery  have  suffered 
much  from  earthquakes,  they  are  now  in  good  condi- 
tion, the  large  courtyards  producing  quite  a  pleasing 
effect.  Noteworthy  is  the  floor  of  the  sacristy,  beauti- 
fully inlaid  with  wood,  imported  from  the  United 
States.  A  large  crucifix  is  preserved  in  the  church 
which,  generally  concealed  from  view,  is  exhibited,  I 
believe,  on  Fridays.  The  crown  of  thorns  is  around 
the  neck  of  the  image,  instead  of  on  the  head.  Ac- 
cording to  tradition,  it  fell  thus,  on  the  occasion  of 
the  great  earthquake  of  Santiago,  and  it  is  the  popular 
belief  that  when  efforts  have  been  made  to  replace  it 
in  its  original  condition,  another  earthquake  has 
occurred. 


234  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

A  custom  quite  general  in  Spanish  America  which 
is  certainly  repugnant  to  our  tastes  is  that  of  dressing 
statues  with  cloth.  It  is  very  common  to  see  cruci- 
fixes, with  a  piece  of  gaudy  decoration  around  the 
loins  of  the  '^Corpus,"  and  I  observed  in  one  church, 
I  feel  quite  sure  that  it  was  in  the  cathedral  of  Lima, 
a  fine  has-relievo  work,  thus  tastelessly  adorned  with 
pieces  of  cloth.  Still,  if  such  things  are  in  keeping 
with  the  tastes  of  the  people,  we  have  no  right  to 
complain,  and  still  less  to  ridicule,  remembering  the 
old  proverb  de  gustibus  non  est  disputandum,  "do 
not  dispute  about  tastes;"  for  taste  is  not  always 
amenable  to  reason. 

The  crucifix  in  question  is  said  to  have  been  made 
by  a  religious,  eminent  for  his  virtues,  but  w^ho  had  no 
knowledge  of  sculpture.  It  stood  in  a  chapel  of  the 
old  church  which,  according  to  the  chroniclers,  was 
vast  and  sumptuous.  At  the  earthquake  of  1647,  the 
entire  edifice  was  destroyed,  with  the  exception  of  the 
chapel  in  which  this  crucifix  was  venerated.  It  was 
then  that  the  crown  of  thorns  fell  from  the  head  to 
the  neck.  As  the  earthquake  occurred  on  May  13,  the 
image  is  known  as  El  Senor  de  Mayo,  "The  Lord  of 
May."  On  certain  occasions  it  is  carried  through  the 
streets  of  Santiago  in  procession.^ 

The  order  of  La  Merced,  founded  in  Spain  in  the 
Middle  Ages,  with  the  object  of  redeeming  Christian 
slaves  from  Mohammedan  captivity,  has  always  been 
very  prominent  in  Spanish  America.  In  fact,  at  the 
present  time,  it  hardly  exists  anywhere  else.  The  first 
Mercedarians  to  visit  Chile  were  those  who  accom- 
panied Almagro.  Their  Chilean  province  was  erected, 
and  their  convent  in  Santiago  founded  in  1566.     At 


3  Los  Fralles  en  Chile  al  traves  de  los  Siglos,  H.  R.  Guinazu, 
p.  181. 


The  Church  and  Education  in  Chile  235 

the  present  time,  they  possess  a  considerable  number 
of  convents,  scattered  throughout  the  Kepublic.  Their 
general.  Father  Pedro  Armengol  Valenzuela,  who  re- 
sides in  Kome,  is  a  native  of  Chile.  The  habit  of  the 
Mercedarians  is  entirely  white,  broken  only  by  the 
little  shield  with  the  coat-of-arms  of  Aragon  which 
they  wear  on  their  breast,  and  which  serves  as  a  re- 
minder of  the  days  when  they  were  first  established 
by  San  Pedro  Nolasco,  aided  by  King  James  I.  of 
Aragon. 

The  large  church  of  this  order  in  Santiago  de  Chile 
shares  with  those  of  the  Franciscans,  Dominicans,  and 
Augustinians  the  glory  of  having  belonged  to  the  old 
colonial  days,  when  the  religious  orders  labored  so 
zealously  for  the  conversion  of  the  natives.  It  has 
been  completely  renovated,  and  the  adjoining  mon- 
astery with  its  courtyards,  partakes  of  the  general 
character  of  similar  institutions  in  Latin  America. 

The  importance  of  the  Society  of  Jesus  in  the  edu- 
cational work  of  Spanish  America,  from  the  end  of 
the  sixteenth,  to  the  latter  portion  of  the  eighteenth 
century,  cannot  be  overestimated.  Its  sphere  of  influ- 
ence extended  from  Mexico  to  the  southern  limits  of 
the  continent,  and  from  the  Pacific  to  the  Atlantic. 
The  Fathers  of  this  Society  entered  Chile  from  Peru 
in  1593,  and,  when  the  order  was  driven  out  of  the 
Spanish  dominions  in  1767,  it  numbered  in  the  former 
country  at  least  383  members,  with  twelve  colleges, 
one  novitiate,  ten  residences,  and  many  missions  among 
the  Indians.  The  decree  of  expulsion  was  one  of  the 
cruellest  it  is  possible  to  imagine,  for,  on  the  same 
day,  throughout  the  dominions  of  Spain,  all  Jesuits, 
sick  and  well,  were  mercilessly  transported. 

The  first  Jesuit  church  in  Santiago,  a  small  one, 
was  begun  about  1605,  and  in  1634,  it  was  completed'; 


236  Lands  of  the  Southern  Gross 

but  the  earthquake  of  1647  nearly  destroyed  it.  The 
church  of  the  Compania,  as  I  have  said,  stood  near 
the  present  site  of  the  building  of  Congress  that  oc- 
cupies that  of  the  college,  so  renowned  for  its  educa- 
tional work,  and  for  the  illustrious  men  that  belonged 
to  it,  men,  like  Ovalle,  Olivares,  Molina,  Lacunza,  and 
Fuensalida  who  will  live  forever  by  their  literary  and 
scientific  labors. 

At  the  present  time,  the  Jesuits  conduct  the  St. 
Ignatius  College  in  Santiago,  and  a  "Casa  de  Ejerci- 
cios,"  or  house  set  apart  for  the  spiritual  exercises  in 
Valparaiso,  besides  houses  in  other  dioceses.  The 
Fathers  have  been  active  in  the  Eepublic  since  1843. 

To  take  the  place  of  the  old  church  of  La  Compania 
which  was  destroyed  by  fire  in  1863,  a  magnificent  edi- 
fice has  been  erected  on  an  entirely  different  site,  but 
it  does  not  belong  to  the  Jesuits.  This  is  the  church 
of  "El  Salvador."  Chilean  art  may  here  be  seen  to 
advantage,  as  the  statues  were  made  by  a  native  artist. 
The  beautiful  stained  glass  windows  are  Spanish,  of 
Barcelona  workmanship.  As  a  modem  edifice,  the 
Salvador  deserves  to  rank  among  the  finest  churches 
in  America.  It  is  one  of  the  few  Gothic  churches 
of  South  America,  the  number  of  which  is,  however, 
on  the  increase.  The  decorations  of  the  interior  are 
gorgeous,  with  an  abundance  of  gold,  but  the  exterior 
is  still  unfinished.  The  tout  ensernble  is  magnificent, 
and  most  imposing. 

Those  interested  in  the  ecclesiastical  affairs  of  South 
America  may  well  visit  the  church  and  house  of  the 
Redemptorists  who  have  been  active  in  Chile,  since 
1876.  Their  house  is  adorned  with  a  fine  courtyard. 
These  Fathers,  so  zealous  in  the  work  of  missions  in 
South  America,  have,  also,  houses  at  San  Bernardo 


The  Church  and  Education  in  Chile  237 

and  Valparaiso  in  the  diocese  of  Santiago,  and  in 
other  dioceses  of  Chile. 

The  Capuchin  Fathers,  who  have  various  institu- 
tions in  the  dioceses  of  the  country,  take  charge  of  the 
missions  among  the  Araucanians  in  the  south. 

Protestants  are,  also,  to  some  extent  active  in  Chile, 
for  though  the  Catholic  is  the  official  religion,  the 
exercise  of  others  is  permitted.  There  are  several 
Protestant  churches  in  the  Eepublic,  devoted  to  the 
interests  of  their  co-religionists,  the  ministers  of  which, 
attending  to  their  own  people,  are  respected  even  by 
those  differing  from  them  in  creed.  But  there  are 
others  who  carry  on  a  more  or  less  obscure  propa- 
ganda, especially  by  means  of  the  tracts  which  they 
scatter  broadcast.  I  understand  that  the  Methodists 
and  Presbyterians  are,  especially,  active  in  this  direc- 
tion. Between  the  two,  they  have  about  fifteen  chapels 
in  Santiago,  and,  according  to  their  own  estimate,  sever- 
al thousand  members.  Their  work  is  greatly  among 
the  poor,  and  their  chapels,  no  matter  how  obscure, 
become  easily  proselytizing  centres.  These  gentlemen 
should,  however,  remember,  that  though  it  is  com- 
paratively easy  to  take  away  Catholicity  from  the 
Latins,  it  is  by  no  means  an  easy  task  to  put  any  other 
form  of  Christianity  in  its  stead.  They  ought,  there- 
fore, to  weigh  the  tremendous  responsibility  they  have 
assumed,  and  the  danger  they  are  running  of  working 
in  harmony  with  infidelity,  by  robbing  the  people  of 
their  faith,  without  anything  substantial  to  take  its 
place.  Of  course,  if  their  sole  object  is  to  destroy 
the  Catholic  faith,  they  will  to  a  certain  extent  be 
successful;  but  such  a  negative  work  of  destruction 
can  only  call  forth  the  abhorrence  of  fair-minded  men. 

I  don't  know  what  antidote  the  Catholic  Church 
is  using  to  counteract  these  influences,  but  the  impres- 


238  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

sion  made  on  me  in  South  America  was  that  the  Cath- 
olic clergy  are  not  alarmed  at  the  danger  of  Protes- 
tantism spreading.  In  fact,  I  doubt  whether  they 
understand  the  extent  of  its  operations. 

Modern  Chili  has  been,  perhaps  above  all  things, 
remarkable  for  its  strenuous  efforts  in  the  cause  of 
education.  Herein,  it  is  equal  to,  if  not  in  advance 
of  any  other  country  in  Latin  America.  A  brief  re- 
view of  the  intellectual  history  of  the  country  will 
mark  the  steps  by  which  it  has  ascended  to  its  present 
exalted  position. 

In  1593,  the  year  that  the  Jesuits  arrived,  there  was 
only  one  private  school  in  Santiago,  directed  by  an  in- 
competent individual  who  thus  endeavored  to  gain  a 
livelihood.  The  Friars  who  had  been,  for  some  years, 
occupied  in  the  work  of  the  ministry,  and  in  the  con- 
version of  the  natives,  must  have  had  their  own  schools 
in  their  convents,  and,  certainly,  higher  education  was 
imparted  in  Chile,  but  means  of  primary  instruction 
were  lacking. 

Within  three  months  after  their  arrival,  the  Jesuits 
had  founded  two  primary  schools,  and,  shortly  after, 
they  inaugurated  a  course  of  higher  instruction  with 
chairs  of  theology  and  philosophy.  However,  philoso- 
phy had  been  taught  before  the  Jesuits  came,  the  first 
professor  of  this  science  having  been  the  Dominican 
Father,  Acacio  de  Noveda. 

In  1611,  the  college  of  St.  Francis  Xavier  was  found- 
ed by  the  Jesuits,  an  institution  that  may  be  regarded 
as  the  cradle  of  public  instruction  in  Chile.* 

In  1619,  the  Dominicans  founded  the  Pontifical  uni- 
versity of  St.  Thomas,  in  virtue  of  a  bull  of  Pope 
Paul  v.,  and,  a  century  later.  King  Philip  IV.  estab- 


*  See  Memoria  sobre  la  Produccion  Intellectual  en  Chile,  by 
Benjamin  Vicuna  Subercaseaux. 


The  Church  and  Education  in  Chile  239 

lished  the  university  of  St.  Philip.  In  the  meantime, 
diocesan  seminaries  had  been  in  operation,  that  of  the 
diocese  of  Concepcion,  founded  in  the  city  of  Con- 
cepcion,  then  called  Imperial,  before  the  year  1563, 
being  the  oldest  in  Chile. 

After  the  independence,  education  was  one  of  the 
first  things  to  occupy  the  attention  of  the  men  at  the 
head  of  the  state,  a  department  of  public  insruction 
was  created,  and  schools  began  to  multiply  in  all  direc- 
tions. Though  not  compulsory,  education  in  Chile  is 
gratuitous.  At  present,  there  are  2,215  elementary 
schools,  with  over  4,000  teachers  and  about  172,000 
pupils.  Further,  the  government  subsidizes  118  pri- 
vate elementary  schools.  Primary  schools  are  to  be 
found  in  cities,  towns,  villages  and  even  hamlets  of 
only  300  inhabitants,  and  the  society  of  the  Escuela 
de  Proletarios  endeavors  to  extend  the  benefits  of  edu- 
cation to  the  poorest  of  the  poor. 

Secondary  instruction  is  imparted  in  the  National 
Institute  of  Santiago,  and  in  the  lyceums  that  exist  in 
every  town  of  importance.  The  Instituto  Nacional, 
with  a  splendid  library,  is  the  college,  in  which  stu- 
dents are  prepared  for  the  university.  It  was  founded 
in  1813. 

Chile  has  devoted  great  attention  to  pedagogy,  hav- 
ing a  number  of  normal  schools  for  the  training  of 
teachers,  the  first  of  which  was  founded  by  President 
Manuel  Montt.  For  a  long  time,  the  German  peda- 
gogic system  prevailed  entirely,  but,  some  years  ago, 
the  government  engaged  the  services  of  two  young 
ladies  from  this  country,  Miss  Agnes  Brown,  a  grad- 
uate of  Ann  Arbor,  and  Miss  Caroline  Burson,  of  St. 
Mary's,  Indiana,  to  introduce  the  American  system, 
to  be  used  in  some  of  the  schools.  The  ladies  have 
been  quite  successful  in  their  undertaking. 


240  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

The  state  university  of  Chile  has  been  developed 
from  the  old  university  of  San  Felipe.  It  is  situated 
on  the  Alameda  in  Santiago.  There  exists,  also,  an 
institution,  known  as  the  university  of  Chile,  founded 
in  1843  on  the  model  of  the  College  de  France,  divided 
into  several  faculties,  which  has  as  its  object  to  cen- 
tralize, and  direct  the  studies  of  the  Kepublic.  It  was 
of  this  academic  institution  that  Andres  Bello  was 
the  first  rector.  With  a  wider  scope  than  the  ordi- 
nary routine  university,  it  was  solemnly  inaugurated 
with  a  Te  Deum,  and  a  number  of  discourses. 

The  Kepublic  of  Chile,  is,  also,  rich  in  schools  of 
mining,  agriculture,  industry,  and  commerce.  At  the 
Quinta  Normal  in  Santiago  of  which  I  wrote  in  a 
previous  chapter,  is  situated  the  National  Agricultural 
Institute,  in  which  various  branches  related  to  agri- 
culture are  taught.  Besides  these,  there  are  schools 
of  music,  and  the  fine  arts,  and  institutions  for  the 
deaf,  dumb  and  blind. 

Unlike  some  other  countries,  Chile  has  not  banished 
religion  from  the  schools,  even  though  there  are  ten- 
dencies in  some  persons  looking  in  that  direction. 
Some  of  the  larger  institutions,  like  normal  schools, 
have,  also,  a  chaplain  whose  duty  it  is  to  impart  relig- 
ious instruction.  However,  it  is  quite  possible  that 
the  good  effects  of  this  religious  teaching  be  neutral- 
ized by  anti-religious  teachers.  In  1900,  Archbishop 
Casanova  wrote  in  one  of  his  pastorals: 

'^It  is  true,  that  the  law  orders  that  religion  shall 
be  taught  in  the  schools,  but,  thus  far,  the  results 
have  not  been  satisfactory.  .  .  .  With  what  right 
is  it  permitted  among  us  that  persons  occupy  profes- 
sional chairs,  and  direct  public  schools,  who  boast  of 
their  intention  to  wrench  the  faith  from  the  people, 
and  corrupt  youth  by  education?'' 


The  Church  and  Education  in  Chile  241 

He,  therefore,  urges,  according  to  the  decrees  of 
the  Latin  American  Council,  that  parochial  schools 
be  established,  at  least  one  for  each  parish. 

Years  previously,  as  early  as  1870,  the  Society  of 
Catholic  Schools  of  St.  Thomas  of  Aquin  was  founded 
in  Santiago,  with  the  object  of  promoting  education 
upon  a  religious  basis.  Last  year,  the  Society  had 
twelve  schools  in  operation,  seven  for  boys  and  five 
for  girls,  besides  a  night  school  for  adults.  The  dio- 
cese of  Santiago  has,  also,  its  normal  school  for  teach- 
ers, while  the  "Centro  Cristiano,"  the  diocesan  council 
for  primary  instruction,  directs  education  in  the 
diocese. 

For  higher  education,  the  Catholic  university  was 
founded  in  Santiago  by  Archbishop  Casanova  in  1888. 
It  is  now  a  flourishing  institution,  with  faculties  of 
law,  mathematics,  agriculture  and  industry,  civil  en- 
gineering, and  so  forth.  The  university  occupies  two 
buildings,  the  one  on  the  Calle  de  Augustinas,  and 
the  other  on  the  Alameda  de  las  Delicias. 

Theology  is  taught  in  the  seminary  of  the  Holy 
Guardian  Angels  in  Santiago,  and  the  institute  known 
as  the  university  of  Chile  counts,  also,  theology  among 
its  faculties. 

There  are  other  Catholic  institutions  of  instruction 
in  the  different  dioceses  of  Chile  of  which  it  is  need- 
less to  treat  here.  From  what  I  have  said,  we  may 
infer,  that,  in  proportion  to  its  population,  Chile,  as 
far  as  education,  secular  and  religious,  is  concerned, 
is  one  of  the  best  equipped  countries  of  South 
America. 


Chapter  XVI. 
FKOM  SANTIAGO  TO  CALLAO. 

On  to  Valparaiso — Vina  del  Mar — W.  R.  Grace  &  Co. — Earth- 
quakes— Cosmopolitan  Character  of  Valparaiso — Battle  of 
Valparaiso — The  "Oravia" — Coquimbo — Serena — Wreck  of 
the  Blanco  Encalada — Antofagasta — The  Railway  to  Lake 
Titicaca — Nitrate  Industry — Iquique — Arica — The  War  be- 
tween Chile  and  Peru — Mollendo — Difficulty  of  Landing — 
Deserted  Islay — Guano  Islands — Callao — Lima — The  Hotel 
Maury. 

The  morning  of  June  15  broke  cold  and  damp.  A 
welcome  rain  had  fallen  the  previous  night,  the  first 
rain  in  many  months.  At  eight  o'clock,  I  bade  fare- 
well to  Santiago,  taking  the  ''rapido,"  the  express 
train  for  Valparaiso.  The  trip  costs  fourteen  pesos, 
and  lasts  a  little  over  three  hours.  The  scenery  from 
Santiago  northward,  as  your  train  runs  between  the 
two  mountain  ranges  through  the  valley,  is  very  beau- 
tiful. On  your  left,  you  have  the  maritime  Cordillera, 
while  the  lofty  range  of  the  Andes  stretches  on  your 
right.  Passing  some  small  towns,  where  the  train 
«tops,  you  arrive  again  at  Llai  Llai,  a  little  north  of 
which  you  turn  westward,  the  line  first  curving 
strongly  northward.  At  Calera,  you  pass  the  junction 
of  the  line  to  the  north.  The  most  important  town 
on  your  route  is  Quillota,  the  head  of  the  department 
of  that  name,  in  the  province  of  Valparaiso.  The 
parish  of  Quillota  is  one  of  the  oldest  in  Chile,  as  it 
is  mentioned  among  Indian  parishes,  as  early  as  1585. 
Limache,  between  Quillota  and  Valparaiso,  is  another 

242 


From  Santiago  to  Callao  248 

old  parish,  dating  at  least  from  the  early  part  of  the 
seventeenth  century. 

Before  arriving  at  the  city  of  Valparaiso,  you  pass 
through  the  fine  watering  place  of  Vina  del  Mar, 
with  many  beautiful  villas,  and  several  churches, 
among  which  are  those  of  the  Passionists,  and  the  Dis- 
calced  Carmelites.  Viiia  del  Mar  has  been  developed 
within  the  last  forty  years,  becoming  the  fashionable 
seaside  resort  where  a  number  of  Santiago  and  Val- 
paraiso families  have  built  themselves  splendid  villas, 
and  where,  in  the  summer  months,  fashion  and  ele- 
gance reign,  the  Grand  Hotel  being  the  fashionable 
stopping  place  for  transients. 

Viiia  del  Mar  is  about  five  miles  from  Valparaiso. 
You  obtain  here  your  first  view  of  the  Pacific  ocean, 
and  steam  on  to  Valparaiso,  past  Miramar,  and  a  few 
other  small  places. 

Valparaiso,  the  "Valley  of  Paradise,'^  was  thus 
named  by  Don  Juan  de  Saavedra  who  accompanied 
the  expedition  of  Almagro.  Constantly  exposed  to  the 
attacks  of  pirates  and  buccaneers,  and  captured  by 
Drake  in  1578,  the  early  life  of  Valparaiso  was  very 
precarious.  In  1791,  the  year  it  was  created  a  muni- 
cipality, the  population  numbered  only  4,000.  Today 
Valparaiso  is  the  chief  commercial  centre  of  Chile, 
and  the  most  prominent  seaport  on  the  west  coast  of 
South  America. 

The  city  is  built  in  amphitheatre  style  on  the  hills 
to  which  you  ascend  by  incline  railways.  It  is  very 
cosmopolitan,  and  every  nationality  is  represented 
within  it.  English  is  spoken  everywhere,  and  gener- 
ally understood.  English  names  are  found  on  the 
large  commercial  houses,  although  the  employees  are 
generally  Chilean.  Among  the  business  places,  I  may 
be   permitted   to   select   two   for   honorable  mention. 


244  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

especially  as  I  enjoyed  their  courtesy.  Messrs.  Dun- 
can, Fox  and  Company  are  the  agents  for  the  Lam- 
port and  Holt  Line.  They  have  also  a  house  at  Lima, 
Peru.  I  had  my  letters  addressed  to  their  care,  and 
when  an  important  cablegram  reached  them,  after  I 
had  left  the  city,  they  kindly  forwarded  it  for  me  to 
Lima. 

The  other  house  is  that  of  W.  K.  Grace  and  Com- 
pany. The  founder  of  the  company  was  the  late  Mr. 
W.  R.  Grace,  who  began  his  career,  and  his  fortune 
in  Peru.  He  was  one  of  the  pioneers  of  South  Amer- 
ican trade,  and,  today,  the  company  has  establish- 
ments all  along  the  coast.  The  Chilean  branch  is 
under  the  direction  of  Mr.  John  Eyre.  I  feel  deep 
gratitude  to  W.  R.  Grace  and  Company,  for  their 
kindness  to  me  through  Mr.  Molanphy  in  Santiago, 
and  Mr.  Chandler  in  Valparaiso. 

It  was  an  American,  Mr.  William  Wheelwright, 
whose  influence  began  the  first  South  American  rail- 
way from  Caldera  to  Copiapo,  and  caused  the  first 
steps  to  be  taken  toward  connecting  Buenos  Aires 
with  Valparaiso.  He  too  organized  the  Pacific  Steam 
Navigation  Company  in  1840. 

During  the  summer  months,  from  January  to  March, 
the  government  transfers  its  headquarters  from  San- 
tiago to  Valparaiso,  the  president  and  his  cabinet  re- 
siding at  Vina  del  Mar.  The  population  of  Valpar- 
aiso is  over  150,000.  The  city  has  been  severely  tried, 
even  in  our  own  age,  by  earthquakes,  and  by  fire. 
The  terrible  earthquake  of  August  16,  1906,  is  still 
fresh,  and  Valparaiso  has  hardly  yet  recovered  from 
its  effects,  although,  when  we  reflect  that  about  ninety 
per  cent,  of  the  houses  are  said  to  have  been  ruined, 
many  of  those  that  had  escaped  the  earthquake  being 
destroyed  by  fire,  we  cannot  but  admire  the  pluck  and 


From  Santiago  to  Callao  245 

energy  that  have  built  up  a  new  Valparaiso.  Fortu- 
nately the  number  killed  was  comparatively  small, 
probably  from  500  to  1,000  or  more,  besides  a  large 
number  hurt.  Property  loss  was  estimated  at  about 
£20,000,000  ($100,000,000).  The  seismic  disturbance 
was  not  confined  to  Valparaiso,  creating  havoc  in 
northern  Chile  generally,  and  being  felt  as  far  south 
as  Concepcion.  Santiago  suffered  greatly,  and  devas- 
tation was  wrought  on  the  slopes  of  the  Cordilleras, 
at  San  Felipe  and  Los  Andes. 

You  will  find  a  number  of  nationalities  represented 
in  the  shipping  of  Valparaiso,  and  all  vessels  proceed- 
ing through  the  straits,  and  up  the  coast,  naturally, 
stop  there.  It  is  a  fine  place  for  repairs,  as  there  are 
two  floating  docks,  capable  of  accommodating  vessels 
up  to  four  thousand  tons'  capacity. 

If  you  desire  to  spend  a  couple  of  days  or  more  at 
Valaparaiso,  it  is  important  that  you  should  make  in- 
quiries regarding  dates  of  sailing  before  leaving  San- 
tiago; for,  otherwise  you  may  have  to  wait  a  week, 
or  even  longer,  for  an  opportunity.  Besides  taking 
your  chances  of  engaging  passage  on  a  cargo  boat, 
say  of  the  Lamport  and  Holt  Line,  or  on  one  of  the 
vessels  of  W.  E.  Grace  and  Company,  with  no  definite 
prospect  of  making  time,  you  have  three  regular  lines, 
the  Pacific  Steam  Navigation  Company;  the  Compania 
Sud  Americana  de  Vapores,  a  Chilean  company;  and 
the  Kosmos  Line,  German.  The  two  former  will  take 
you  to  Panama,  if  you  change  steamers  at  Callao,  but 
the  last  named  does  not  stop  at  Panama.  For  one 
who  wishes  to  make  a  thorough  study  of  the  West 
coast,  a  cargo  boat  may  offer  a  good  opportunity,  as 
it  is  apt  to  stop  several  days  at  the  different  ports. 
The  steamboat  fare  from  Valparaiso  to   Callao  has 


246  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

recently  been  reduced  to  a  uniform  rate  of  £13 
(165.00). 

Ships  at  Valparaiso  lie  out  in  the  bay,  and  you  hire 
a  small  boat  to  take  yourself  and  baggage  alongside 
your  vessel.  Should  you,  on  arriving  at  Valparaiso, 
make  close  connections  with  your  steamer,  and  have 
only  a  few  hours  to  stay,  you  may  deposit  your  hand 
baggage  in  a  parcel  room  at  the  station,  in  considera- 
tion of  a  small  fee. 

After  engaging  passage  on  the  ^'Oravia,"  of  the 
Pacific  Steam  [Navigation  Company,  I  went  on  board, 
accompanied  by  an  employee  of  W.  K.  Grace  and 
Company,  whom  the  manager  had  kindly  sent  with 
me.  There  is  an  American  man-of-war,  the  North 
Carolina,  lying  in  the  harbor.  The  sight  of  the  Stars 
and  Stripes  reminds  me  of  past  experiences  of  our 
navy  at  Valparaiso.  During  our  war  of  1812,  the  en- 
gagement recorded  in  our  history  between  the  United 
States  frigate  Essex  and  the  British  frigates,  Phoebe 
and  Cherub,  took  place  off  the  promontory  of  Punta 
Gruesa,  near  Valparaiso.  This  unequal  fight  lasted  two 
hours.  The  Essex  was  commanded  by  Admiral  Por- 
ter, and  one  of  her  "middies"  was  the  celebrated  Far- 
ragut,  who  later  in  life,  when  referring  to  the  engage- 
ment, compared  the  capture  of  Mobile  as  "a  bit  of 
child's  play"  to  the  dreadful  slaughter  of  Valparaiso. 

It  was,  also,  at  Valparaiso  that  the  unfortunate 
incident  occurred,  during  the  Balmaceda  revolution 
in  1891-2,  when  a  few  American  sailors  were  killed  in 
the  streets,  an  incident  that  threatened  to  bring  about 
unpleasant  complications  between  this  country  and 
Chile. 

The  "Oravia"  is  a  comfortable  ship,  with  most  gen- 
tlemanly officers,  from  Captain  George  U.  Bindley 
down.     The  chief  engineer,  Mr.  Kennedy,  is  a  good- 


From  Santiago  to  Callao  247 

natured,  and  witty  Scotchman,  who  tries  to  make 
everyone  feel  pleasant,  and  whose  acquaintance  with 
the  coast  furnishes  quite  a  fertile  source  of  informa- 
tion. The  "Oravia"  has  just  come  from  England,  pass- 
ing through  the  straits.  Her  passengers  are  mostly 
natives,  bound  to  different  ports  on  the  coast  of  Chile 
or  Peru,  but  there  is,  also,  a  sprinkling  of  Americans. 
With  this  company,  we  leave  Valparaiso  to  sail  along 
the  coast,  almost  constantly  in  sight  of  land,  until  we 
reach  Callao,  or,  as  the  sailors  say,  "Callio." 

The  snow-capped  Cordilleras  are  in  full  view, 
shortly  after  leaving  Valparaiso,  and  Aconcagua's 
hoary  summit  looms  up  far  away,  like  the  majestic 
head  of  a  solitary  giant  of  the  mountains.  Let 
us  take  a  last  look  at  him,  for  we  shall  see  him  no 
more  after  this.  In  a  few  hours,  night  wraps  us 
in  its  folds,  shutting  out  the  land  from  view.  The 
long  Pacific  swells  that  follow  each  other  from  the 
immense  stretch  of  ocean  on  our  left  causes  the 
ship  to  roll  much,  but  I  retire  to  my  cabin  to  sink 
into  that  agreeable  oblivion  which  comes  as  a  re- 
lief to  all  the  ills  of  humanity.  My  cabin  is  large, 
though  irregular  in  shape,  and  somewhat  obscure, 
but  I  may  turn  on  the  electric  light,  at  any 
hour  of  the  day  or  night.  My  room-mate  happens  to 
be  an  agreeable  young  American,  Mr.  Graham  Clark, 
commercial  agent  of  the  Department  of  Commerce  and 
Labor  of  our  Government.  He  is  bound  for  Anto- 
fagasta,  where  he  is  to  take  the  train  for  Bolivia. 
I  too  had  intended  going  to  Bolivia,  but  the  severe 
cold  I  contracted  at  Santiago  has  deterred  me,  and 
I  fear  to  expose  myself  to  the  dangerous  altitudes, 
hence  I  have  taken  passage  directly  to  Callao. 

After  leaving  Valparaiso,  we  pass  Quintero  Bay 
with  a  good  anchorage  for  ships  and  a  village  of  about 


248  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

900  inhabitants.  Then  follows  Port  Papudo  in  the 
heart  of  a  fertile  district,  with  copper  and  silver  mines 
in  its  territory.  Further  on,  you  pass  the  villages 
of  Quilmari  and  Vilos,  and  a  few  scattered  islands  off 
the  coast.  A  railway  leads  from  Vilos  to  Illapel,  about 
twenty  miles  away.  Steamers  call  here  regularly,  and 
the  place  is  connected  by  telegraph  with  the  rest  of 
the  world. 

Along  the  coast  are  scattered  a  number  of  small 
settlements,  such  as  Nagu6  and  Chigualoco.  Further 
on,  the  town  of  Sougoi,  a  port  of  call  for  steamers,  is 
connected  by  railroad  with  the  copper  mines  of 
Tamaya. 

A  little  before  arriving  at  Coquimbo,  you  pass  Guay- 
acan  with  a  population  of  2,500,  and  large  copper 
smelting  works. 

After  steaming  all  night,  we  dropped  anchor  in  the 
morning  at  Coquimbo,  one  of  the  chief  mercantile  ports 
of  Chile.  It  is  a  long  town  at  the  foot  of  a  hill,  with 
its  houses  straggling  upwards,  and  depressions  on  both 
sides  of  the  hill.  A  few  steamers,  and  other  vessels, 
among  them  a  training  ship  of  the  Chilean  navy,  lay 
in  the  harbor,  while  boats  and  lighters  were  here  and 
there  seen  ready  to  load  and  unload.  Coquimbo  is 
the  seaport  of  Serena,  the  capital  of  Coquimbo  pro- 
vince. 

Serena,  with  a  population  of  twenty-five  thousand, 
on  the  banks  of  the  Coquimbo  river,  was  founded, 
where  it  now  stands,  by  Pedro  de  Valdivia.  It  is  the 
chief  centre  of  a  district  producing  an  abundance  of 
tropical  fruit,  but  its  principal  wealth  lies  in  the  ex- 
ploitation of  copper,  which  is  produced  in  this  pro- 
vince, more  than  anywhere  else  in  South  America.  The 
copper  is  exported  through  the  port  of  Coquimbo. 


From  Santiago  to  Gallao  249 

Serena  possesses  ten  churches,  and  several  chapels. 
It  was  erected  into  a  diocese  in  1842.  The  present 
bishop,  the  Eight  Reverend  Ramon  Angel  Jara,  who 
has  been  decorated  with  the  insignia  of  the  Spanish 
order  of  Isabel  la  Catolica,  is  one  of  the  foremost  ora- 
tors of  South  America.  He  was  chosen  to  deliver  the 
address  before  the  Infanta  Isabel  in  the  church  of 
Lujan,  Argentine  Republic,  on  the  occasion  when  the 
princess  presented  a  banner  to  the  shrine  of  Our  Lady 
of  Lujan. 

Coquimbo,  with  a  poulation  of  7,500,  was  founded 
by  Valdivia  in  1544.  There  are  three  churches  and 
several  chapels  in  the  city,  and,  from  the  deck  of  the 
steamer,  you  may  observe  at  least  one  of  the  steeples. 
The  shrine  of  the  Virgin  of  the  Rosary  at  AndacoUo, 
some  distance  from  Coquimbo  in  the  mountains,  at- 
tracts a  large  number  of  pilgrims,  especially  at  the 
Christmas  season.  The  cliff  above  the  town  of  Co- 
quimbo seems  absolutely  barren.  Two  or  three  streets 
run  parallel  through  the  entire  length  of  the  town, 
which  has,  also,  a  fine  plaza.  From  the  steamer,  you 
will  notice  the  Palace  Hotel  that  looks  quite  large 
and  modern.    There  is,  also,  an  hospital  in  the  town. 

You  may,  now  and  then,  see  the  train  running  along 
the  shore;  for  several  railways  start  from  Coquimbo 
which  is,  at  present,  the  terminus  of  the  line  coming 
north  from  Valparaiso. 

It  is  still  cold  here,  and  I  shall  be  obliged  to  wear 
my  overcoat,  almost  until  I  arrive  at  Callao.  The  west 
coast  of  South  America  is  much  colder  than  that  of 
the  Atlantic,  owing  principally,  to  the  Antarctic  cur- 
rent which  sweeps  along,  as  far  as  the  northern  limits 
of  Peru.  Fogs  often  prevail  on  this  coast,  as  far  north 
as  Guayaquil.  In  fact,  on  the  coast  of  Peru,  fogs  are 
the  rule.^ 


1  See  the  South  American  Pilot,  part  II. 


250  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

As  we  leave  the  harbor  of  Coquimbo,  our  eyes  will 
give  a  parting  glance  at  the  receding  town,  and,  per- 
haps, rest  longest  on  the  peculiar  landmark  on  the 
hill,  built  in  the  shape  of  a  pyramid.  We  keep  the 
barren  mountains,  saturated  with  mineral  deposits 
on  our  right,  while,  here  and  there,  we  catch  glimpses 
of  the  distant  Cordilleras  as,  range  upon  range,  they 
come  sloping  down  to  the  sea.  We  now  pass  Bird 
Islands,  inhabited  only  by  the  lighthouse  keeper,  Tot- 
oralillo,  a  smelting  village,  connected  with  other 
places  by  telephone,  and  Huasco,  another  copper  dis- 
trict, with  vineyards,  and  a  population  of  750.  Fur- 
ther on,  Carrizal  Bajo,  with  a  population  of  over 
700,  is  a  regular  port  of  call  for  coasting  steamers. 
Another  stopping  place  for  coastwise  boats  is  Port 
Caldera,  with  a  population  of  2,500,  having  a  tele- 
graph line,  and  railways  to  the  interior.  It  exports 
principally  minerals,  such  as  gold,  silver,  copper,  and 
manganese,  but  it  has,  also,  commerce  in  skins.  The 
great  want  of  the  place  is  water,  that  can  only  be 
obtained  by  condensing  salt  water,  or  bringing  fresh 
water  by  rail.  Caldera  is  the  port  for  Copiap6,  the 
capital  of  the  province  of  Atacama,  and  the  centre  of 
a  great  gold  and  silver  region.  Situated  about  four 
hundred  miles  north  of  Valparaiso,  it  is  the  terminus 
of  the  first  railway  constructed  in  South  America.  It 
is  said  that  the  mineral  wealth  of  this  region  was 
exploited  by  the  Incas,  long  before  the  arrival  of  the 
Spaniards  who,  under  Valdivia,  first  took  possession 
of  Chile  in  the  valley  of  Copiap6  in  1540.  The  city, 
founded  in  1744,  is  one  of  the  most  important  of  the 
Republic,  although  its  population  is  scarcely  more 
than  twelve  thousand. 

The  wreck  of  the  Chilean  ironclad,  Blanco  Encalada, 
which   figured   conspicuously   in   the   war  with   Peru 


From  Santiago  to  Callao  251 

lies  at  Caldera  in  eight  fathoms  of  water.  She  was 
sunk  here  in  1891  by  two  torpedo  boats  of  the  Bal- 
maceda  party,  with  a  loss  of  245  of  her  crew. 

The  next  ports  we  pass  are  Charaval,  and  Taltal, 
both  connected  by  short  railways  with  the  interior 
of  the  country.  About  eight  miles  south  of  Anto- 
fagasta,  lies  the  small  nitrate  port  of  Caleta  Coloso 
that  has  grown  up  with  the  railway,  connecting  it 
with  Antofagasta,  in  the  harbor  of  which  we  cast 
our  anchor  about  noon,  two  days  after  leaving  Val- 
paraiso. 

As  soon  as  the  doctor's  visit  had  taken  place,  the 
boatmen  came  tumbling  up  the  ladder  in  swarms. 
The  sea  here,  as  all  along  the  coast,  is  often  very 
rough,  and  landing,  generally,  is  quite  difficult,  the 
swells  causing  the  little  boats,  and  the  lighters  to 
rise  sometimes  almost  to  the  bulwarks  of  the  ship, 
and  then  to  sink  far  down  into  the  depths. 

The  coast  hills  rise  here  above  the  town  which 
lies  spread  out  at  their  foot  upon  a  sloping  plain. 
Some  enterprising  merchants  have  utilized  the  hills 
back  of  the  town  to  advertise  several  kinds  of  tea, 
''Te  Eatan  puro,"  being  especially  noticeable.  The 
same  tea  is,  also,  advertised  on  the  row  boats. 

The  city,  laid  out  in  parallel  lines,  is  divided  by 
wide  streets  which  can  be  distinctly  seen  from  the 
steamer.  The  water  front  is  lined  by  warehouses,  and 
other  business  places.  Stevenson  &  Company,  steve- 
dores and  ship  chandlers  who,  also,  sell  "Te  Eatan 
puro,"  seem  to  be  the  most  prominent  merchants.  At 
least  they  are  the  most  conspicuous  by  their  adver- 
tisements. Two  brothers,  very  much  resembling  each 
other,  the  Stevensons,  who  are  Americans,  came  here 
with  little  or  nothing,  I  am  told,  and  now  they  are 
making  money  fast.     I  did  not  land,  as  my  throat 


252  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

was  paining  too  much,  a  result  of  the  cold  contracted 
in  Santiago. 

Antofagasta  has  a  population  of  16,000.  It  is  the 
port  for  Bolivia,  though  it  now  belongs  to  Chile.  It 
was  captured  during  the  famous  war  waged  in  1879 
against  the  combined  forces  of  Peru  and  Bolivia,  but 
permitted  to  remain  as  the  Pacific  outlet  for  Bolivian 
commerce.  This  war  had  the  result  of  adding 
materially  to  Chilean  territory. 

The  great  Antofagasta  railway  begins  here.  It  is  a 
private  enterprise  of  the  greatest  importance,  as  it 
opens  up  the  very  heart  of  the  Andes,  and  the  old 
country  of  the  Incas.  The  gauge  is  only  of  two  feet,  and 
six  inches,  yet  the  day  coaches  and  sleeping  cars  are 
said  to  be  quite  up-to-date,  while  the  freight  wagons 
carry  a  twenty-ton  load.  The  line  starts  from  Anto- 
fagasta, and  follows  a  northeastern  direction,  begin- 
ning the  ascent  soon  after  its  departure.  At  O'Hig- 
gins,  three  stations  from  Antofagasta,  it  strikes  a 
branch  road,  going  south  to  the  nitrate  fields  of  Bo- 
quete.  Another  branch  is  reached  at  Prat,  which 
goes  to  Mejillones,  a  port  on  the  Pacific  recently  opened 
by  the  Antofagasta  Kailway  Company.  At  Ollague, 
the  line  crosses  the  Bolivian  frontier,  and  strikes  an- 
other branch  going  north  to  the  copper  mines  at  Col- 
lahuasi.  From  here,  the  line  continues  northeast, 
until  it  reaches  Uyuni,  when  it  turns  north  to  proceed 
to  Oruro.  After  leaving  Antofagasta,  the  railway 
passes  through  the  principal  nitrate  district  of  this 
part  of  Chile,  until  the  Andes  come  into  full  view. 
The  summit  of  the  main  line  from  Antofagasta  to 
Uyuni  is  at  an  altitude  of  13,000  feet.  The  railway 
branch  from  Ollague  station  to  Collahuasi  is  said  to 
be  the  highest  line  of  railway  in  the  world,  reaching, 
as  it  does,  to  a  height  of  15,809  feet.    From  Uyuni,  a 


From  Santiago  to  Gallao  253 

private  railway,  connects  with  the  Huanchaca  silver 
mines,  worked  by  a  Franco-Chilean  company. 

Oruro,  where  the  line  of  the  Antofagasta  and 
Bolivia  railway  company  ends,  is  a  town  situated 
about  12,000  feet  above  sea  level,  with  silver  and  tin 
mines  in  the  neighborhood.  Bolivia  is,  probably,  the 
country  in  the  world  richest  in  mineral  wealth. 

At  Oruro,  you  change  for  the  trains  of  the  Bolivia 
Raliway  Company  which  is,  also,  managed  by  the 
Antofagasta  railroad.  You  now  proceed  northwest, 
until  you  reach  Viacha  which  lies  on  the  road  that, 
northward,  goes  to  La  Paz,  and  westward  to  Guaqui 
on  Lake  Titicaca,  the  highest  navigable  body  of  water 
on  earth,  at  an  altitude  of  over  12,000  feet.  La  Paz, 
the  capital  of  Bolivia,  is  itself  nearly  12,000  feet 
high.  Ilimani,  one  of  the  loftiest  Andean  peaks,  of 
21,182  feet,  is  seen  on  the  journey  between  Oruro 
and  Viacha.  To  go  to  Cuzco  in  Peru,  you  return  from 
La  Paz  by  a  railway,  run  by  electric  motor,  to  Guaqui 
on  Lake  Titicaca,  where  you  take  the  steamer. 

The  itinerary  of  the  through  sleeping  train  de  luxe 
will  give  an  idea  of  the  length  of  the  journey  I  have 
outlined.  It  leaves  Antofagasta  every  Monday  at  6.40 
p.  m.,  crosses  the  Bolivian  frontier  early  the  follow- 
ing afternoon,  to  arrive  at  Oruro  at  8.28  a.  m.,  on 
Wednesday.  At  Oruro  you  take  the  train  at  9.10 
a.  m.,  to  reach  Patacamaya  at  1  p.  m.,  and  have  twen- 
ty-six minutes  for  lunch.  You  arrive  at  Viacha  at 
4.05  p.  m.,  and,  from  Viacha  to  La  Paz  the  distance  is 
short.  Should  you  wish  to  take  a  slower  train,  and  go 
by  easy  stages,  you  may  leave  Antofagasta  every  day, 
except  Sunday,  at  7.50  a.  m.,  arriving  at  Cuevitas  at 
11.52  for  lunch.  You  reach  Calama,  7,400  feet  above 
sea  level,  in  the  evening  about  six,  and  here  you  break 
the  journey,  and  spend  the  night,  to  leave  the  next 


254  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

morning  at  six.  At  9.17,  the  train  stops  for  lunch  at 
San  Pedro,  and  goes  on  further,  until  it  reaches 
Uyuni,  between  6  and  7  in  the  evening.  You  spend 
the  night  at  Uyuni,  a  town  of  5,000  inhabitants,  many 
of  whom  are  Indians.  Here  you  will  first  meet  with 
the  llamas  that  travel  in  troops  of  one  hundred  or 
more  to  the  silver  and  tin  mines  of  Potosi,  taking 
fifteen  days  to  make  the  journey.  They  say  that  a 
llama  will  not  move  if  his  burden  exceeds  100  pounds 
by  the  most  trifling  weight. 

You  depart  from  Uyuni  at  7.25  a.  m.,  to  reach 
Sevaruyo  at  12.23  for  lunch,  and  thence  proceed  to 
Oruro,  where  you  arrive  after  five  o'clock  to  spend 
another  night.  The  following  morning  at  9.10  you 
continue  the  northward  journey  to  Viacha,  arriving 
there,  a  little  after  four  in  the  afternoon. 

In  the  winter  months,  this  journey  may  be  unpleas- 
antly cold,  and,  at  any  season  of  the  year,  you  may 
have  to  suffer  from  the  mountain  sickness,  caused  by 
the  rarity  of  oxygen  in  the  air.  The  trains  of  the 
Antofagasta  Eailway  company  carry  an  oxygen  ap- 
paratus of  which  the  sufferer  may  avail  himself. 

Let  us  now  return  to  Antofagasta.  The  nitrate  busi- 
ness is  the  most  important  here,  the  nitrate  country 
beginning  on  this  side  of  Coquimbo,  and  extending 
far  to  the  north.  From  the  sea,  the  coast  appears 
most  desolate,  without  a  bit  of  vegetation.  A  num- 
ber of  square  rigged  vessels,  engaged  in  nitrate  com- 
merce, are  to  be  seen  in  the  various  ports  of  this 
coast.  The  people  of  Antofagasta  have  to  depend  on 
incoming  ships  for  their  supplies,  as  the  country  pro- 
duces nothing,  and  even  drinking  water  has  to  be 
brought  from  a  great  distance  in  the  mountains.  This 
is  a  very  serious  matter.  During  the  war  with  Peru, 
when   the   water   supply   was   cut   off   in    one   of   the 


From  Santiago  to  Callao  255 

coast  towns,  the  inhabitants  suffered  for  many  hours 
horribly  from  thirst. 

Many  people  on  the  Chilean  coast  seem  to  bear  an 
unenviable  reputation  among  British  seamen  for 
thievery.  The  fast  steamers,  at  least  the  English, 
are  comparatively  safe,  as  no  one  is  permitted  to  go 
below,  but,  on  the  coasting  vessels,  the  natives  swarm 
everywhere,  and  it  is  hard,  at  any  time,  to  be  safe- 
guarded against  robbery.  It  would  not  be  safe  to 
leave  valuables  in  an  exposed  position,  and,  in  port, 
it  is  better  to  lock  the  stateroom,  should  it  contain 
goods  of  value.  Antofagasta  is  said  to  be  especially 
unsafe.  It  was  related  to  me,  that  some  weeks  before 
my  arrival,  robbers  had  gone  so  far  as  to  make  a 
night  attack  on  a  German  steamer.  Fortunately,  the 
man  on  watch  gave  the  alarm  in  time,  and  the  invad- 
ers were  soon  put  to  flight. 

From  the  deck  of  the  steamer,  I  can  make  out  two 
churches,  one,  to  the  south,  built  apparently  in  the 
old  Spanish  style,  and  the  other,  nearly  in  the  centre, 
with  the  frame  work  of  a  tall  steeple.  There  are, 
however,  three  churches  in  the  city,  and  two  chapels, 
one  of  the  orphan  asylum,  and  the  other  of  the  hos- 
pital. The  vicariate  apostolic  of  Antofagasta  is  gov- 
erned by  a  priest,  Don  Luis  Silva  Lezaeta.  The  vicar- 
iate is  quite  young,  and,  in  fact,  the  port  of  Anto- 
fagasta dates  only  from  1870. 

As  we  lie  here  at  anchor,  I  can  see  through  the 
fog  the  rising  ranges  that  lead  up  to  the  tremendous 
Cordilleras  with  their  mysterious  depths,  and  a  still 
more  mysterious  past,  and  their  great  possibilities  for 
the  future.  Antofagasta  lies  at  the  entrance  to  a  bay. 
Hounding  the  headland,  we  pass  out  again  into  the 
open  Pacific  to  proceed  northward,  leaving  Mejillones, 
ensconced  in  a  bay  to  the  southeast.  This  is  said  to 
be  the  finest  harbor  on  the  Pacific  coast,  capable  of 


256  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

holding  all  the  fleets  of  the  world,  and  thoroughly 
protected  against  gales  from  the  southwest.  It  was 
opened,  not  long  ago,  by  thfe  Antofagasta  Kailway 
Company.  Further  to  the  north,  we  pass  another 
nitrate  port,  Tocopilla,  with  a  population  of  5,000, 
telegraph  lines,  and  a  railway  to  the  interior.  Steam- 
ers call  here  regularly. 

After  passing  a  number  of  small  places  on  the  coast, 
we  arrive  at  Iquique  in  the  early  morning.  The  city 
with  a  population  of  some  50,000,  lies  spread  out  on 
a  flat  surface,  at  the  foot  of  the  coast  range.  As  we 
enter  the  harbor,  I  observe  a  good  deal  of  shipping, 
with  a  number  of  large,  square-rigged  vessels.  In  the 
harbor,  several  sea  lions,  quite  numerous  on  this  part 
of  the  coast,  are  sporting.  I  had,  also,  observed  them 
at  Antofagasta. 

On  the  hills,  back  of  the  town,  are  large  tracts  of 
shifting  sand,  blown  up  by  the  wind,  and  advancing 
slowly  year  by  year.  Rain  is  very  scarce  here,  if,  at 
all,  it  can  be  said  to  exist,  and,  with  the  exception 
of  some  cactus,  vegetation  is  exceedingly  scanty. 

Like  Antofagasta,  Iquique  depends  for  its  supplies 
entirely  on  the  outside  world.  Water  is  brought  by 
pipes  from  Pica,  a  considerable  distance  in  the  in- 
terior. Iquique  that  formerly  belonged  to  Peru  is  the 
greatest  nitrate  port  of  the  world,  the  nitrate  being 
generally  shipped  to  Europe  in  sailing  vessels.  It  is 
connected  with  the  interior,  and  with  other  coast 
towns,  by  railway.  The  houses  are  mostly  built  of 
wood.    The  city  possesses  the  electric  tramway  system. 

Ecclesiastically,  Iquique  belongs  to  the  vicariate 
apostolic  of  TarapacA,  which,  in  1880,  when  the  terri- 
tory passed  over  to  Chile,  was  separated  from  the  dio- 
cese of  Arequipa  in  Peru.  Iquique  has,  at  least,  five 
churches,   and  several   chapels.     One   or  two  of  the 


From  Santiago  to  Callao  257 

churches  can  be  seen  from  the  steamer.  The  city  pos- 
sesses, also,  an  hospital,  one  of  the  many  to  be  found 
in  the  towns  all  along  the  coast. 

As  we  proceed  from  Iquique  northward,  we  observe, 
that  in  places  along  the  shore,  there  is  no  sign  of  a 
beach,  the  perpendicular  cliffs  appearing  to  descend 
straight  into  the  water.  We  are  at  about  20°  S.  L., 
but  you  cannot  imagine  that  you  are  in  the  tropics, 
as  it  is  so  raw  and  foggy. 

About  midway  between  Iquique  and  Pisagua,  lies 
Caleta  Buena,  with  a  population  of  2,500.  It  is  con- 
nected by  rail  with  a  line  running,  more  or  less, 
parallel  to  the  coast  from  Lagunas,  a  great  deal  south 
of  Iquique,  to  Pisagua.  This  last  city  has  a  popula- 
tion of  3,000.  The  town  was  bombarded  and  burned 
in  the  war  of  1879.  I  was  told,  that  smallpox  is  often 
prevalent  here.  Another  disease,  of  which  many  cases 
are  to  be  found  along  the  coast  is  bubonic  plague, 
that  seems  to  have  become  endemic  in  South  America. 

At  Camarones  Cove,  we  pass  a  river  the  mouth  of 
which  has  been  blocked,  the  water,  thus  dammed,  being 
employed  to  irrigate  the  surounding  country.  There 
is  some  agriculture  here,  as  well  as  in  the  interior 
valleys.  Further  on,  at  Victor  Gulley,  another  river 
is  passed  the  mouth  of  which  is,  also,  closed.  Be 
neath  the  cliffs,  in  the  cut,  you  catch  a  glimpse  of 
vegetation,  forming  a  striking  contrast  with  the  bar- 
ren hills  you  eye  has  grown  accustomed  to. 

Our  next  port  is  Arica.  We  ran  into  the  harbor  on 
a  raw  and  foggy  afternoon,  more  like  a  day  in  Octo- 
ber or  November  at  home,  than  like  one  in  the  tropics. 
The  object  which  will,  above  all,  draw  your  atten- 
tion is  the  high  promontory  before  the  town,  known 
as  Arica  Head.  Here,  during  the  war  with  Peru, 
stood  a  fort  with  powerful  guns,  while  the  landward 


258  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

side  of  Arica  was  protected  by  entrenchments  and 
batteries.  On  the  north,  other  batteries  afforded  pro- 
tection to  the  city.  Early  in  June,  1879,  Tacna  to 
the  north  had  been  captured,  and  the  Chileans  marched 
down  the  railway  to  the  sea.  In  the  harbor  of  Arica, 
lay  the  Peruvian  man-of-war,  Manco  Capac,  and  the 
Chilean  ships  that  bombarded  the  town  had  been 
driven  off  without  much  difficulty.  On  the  morning 
of  June  7th,  the  attack  on  Arica  from  the  land-side 
began,  and,  by  7  a.  m.,  all  but  the  Morro,  or  the  fort 
on  Arica  Head,  had  been  captured.  The  story  told  me 
about  the  capture  of  the  Morro  is,  that,  at  night,  the 
Chileans,  proceeding  from  Victor  Gulley,  marched 
along  the  ridge,  surprised  the  Peruvians,  and  drove 
them  over  the  cliff,  about  500  feet  high,  with  tre- 
mendous slaughter. 

According  to  treaty,  the  people  in  the  Arica  dis- 
trict were,  after  the  lapse  of  a  certain  number  of 
3^ears,  to  cast  their  vote,  as  to  which  nation  they 
wished  to  belong.  This  has  not  yet  been  done,  and,  as 
the  country  has  been  filling  up  with  Chileans,  it  is 
not  likely  that  Chile  will  ever  relinquish  her  hold  of 
Arica. 

The  city  has  a  population  of  about  three  thousand. 
It  is  of  considerable  importance  as  the  port  of  Tacna, 
the  capital  of  the  province,  that  lies  more  than  twenty 
miles  inland,  to  the  north,  with  which  it  is  connected 
by  railroad.  On  a  clear  day,  Tacna  can  be  seen  from 
the  sea.  To  the  east  of  it,  are  some  of  the  highest 
peaks  of  the  Andes. 

The  town  of  Arica  lies  on  flats  in  a  small  bay. 
After  casting  anchor,  we  were  visited  by  a  number  of 
boatmen,  fighting  with  each  other  to  get  to  the  top 
of  the  ladder  first.  There  was  a  rough  and  tumble 
fight  in  one  of  the  boats,  and  the  next  thing  I  expected 


THE   MORRO;,  ARICA^   CHILE 


From  Santiago  to  Callao  259 

was  to  see  knives  drawn,  but  the  storm  blew  over,  and 
the  combatants  were  soon  ready,  it  appeared,  to  give 
each  other  the  kiss  of  peace. 

I  observed  two  little  girls  coming  alongside,  with 
some  gentlemen.  After  their  boat  had  been  tossed  about 
a  good  deal,  they  were,  finally,  lifted  to  the  platform, 
and  left  to  climb  the  ladder,  as  best  they  could  alone. 
We  shall  notice  them  again  at  MoUendo. 

At  Arica,  the  coast  turns  strongly  to  the  northwest, 
to  reach  finally  the  point  where  the  South  American 
continent,  from  Brazil  to  Peru,  swells  out  to  its  wid- 
est proportions.  We  pass  the  town  of  Ylo,  where 
coasting  steamers  call,  and  the  fertile  valley  of  Tambo. 
In  clear  weather,  the  volcano  of  Arequipa,  20,200  feet 
high,  can  be  seen. 

The  morning  of  June  19,  raw  and  chilly,  with  a 
heavy  fog  hanging  over  the  land,  found  us  slowly 
steaming  into  the  harbor  of  Mollendo,  the  first  port 
of  Peru.  Mollendo  has  the  reputation  of  being  the  Jop- 
pa  of  the  west  coast,  the  hardest  port  in  which  to 
land,  sometimes  more  than  others.  Although,  on  this 
particular  morning,  a  heavy  swell  was  running,  the 
sea  did  not  appear  exceedingly  rough,  and  landing 
was  comparatively  easy,  at  least  from  the  ship,  though 
the  surf  was  beating  with  tremendous  fury  on  the 
shore. 

As  usually,  the  boatmen  came  scrambling  up  the 
ladder,  shouting  at  the  top  of  their  voice,  to  pick  up 
such  jobs  as  they  could.  Then  the  procession  filed 
back,  one  man  carrying  in  his  arms  with  the  greatest 
solicitude  the  doll  of  one  of  the  little  girls  we  had 
noticed  at  Arica.  I  watched  the  boat  in  which  the 
girls  were,  as  it  was  towed  ashore  by  a  launch,  now 
vanishing  behind  the  waves,  then   riding  into  sight 


260  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

again,  until  it  disappeared,  as  it  rounded  the  point  on 
the  breakwater,  on  its  way  to  the  wharf. 

The  town  of  Mollendo,  of  recent  construction,  is 
stretched  out  on  a  bit  of  table  land,  at  the  foot  of  the 
hills.  With  a  population  of  5,000,  Mollendo  is  the 
port  of  Arequipa,  which  lies  inland  at  an  altitude  of 
7,500  feet,  at  the  foot  of  the  extinct  volcano  Misti. 
Here  begins  the  railroad  to  Cuzco,  via  Arequipa,  and 
from  Cuzco  you  may  go  by  steamer  on  Lake  Titicaca, 
to  La  Paz  in  Bolivia.  The  exports  passing  through 
Mollendo  are,  principally,  alpaca,  and  sheep's  wool, 
skins,  coca  leaves,  bark,  silver,  tin,  and  copper  ores. 

About  half  past  ten,  the  sea  was  running  high,  and 
it  became  very  difficult  to  ascend  the  ladder.  It  was 
necessary  to  wait  until  the  boat  rose  on  the  swell,  and 
then  to  make  a  spring  to  the  platform.  I  observed 
a  rather  corpulent  lady  in  her  efforts  to  perform  this 
feat,  making  several  useless  attempts,  in  spite  of  the 
aid  of  the  men  with  her  in  the  boat.  Her  pocketbook 
fell  from  her  hands,  fortunately  on  the  platform,  and, 
finally,  she  sank  exhausted  to  the  bottom  of  the  little 
craft,  becoming  deadly  sick.  At  last,  after  strenuous 
efforts,  she  succeeded  in  reaching  the  deck. 

At  Mollendo,  I  had  a  conversation  with  my  fellow 
traveller,  Mr.  McMillen  who,  as  I  have  before  stated, 
had  had  charge  of  the  mule  route  across  the  Cumbre 
on  the  Andes.  He  informed  me  that  there  is  some 
question  of  moving  the  statue  of  Christ  and  placing  it 
where  it  may  be  seen  from  the  railroad.  To  visit 
the  spot  where  it  now  stands,  you  must  engage  mules 
either  at  Los  Andes,  or  at  Puente  de  Inca. 

As  we  leave  Mollendo,  we  observe  the  deserted  town 
of  Islay,  which  was  formerly  the  port  of  Arequipa ;  but 
the  building  of  the  railroad  at  Mollendo  was  its  nn- 


From  Santiago  to  Callao  261 

doing.  The  deserted  houses  may  be  seen  from  the 
ship,  best  through  a  glass. 

Before  we  reach  the  end  of  our  journey,  I  wish  to 
draw  your  attention  to  the  multitude  of  birds  on  the 
west  coast  of  South  America,  gulls,  cormorants,  peli- 
cans, and  other  endless  varieties.  Toward  sunset,  on 
the  coast  of  Peru,  as  they  go  to  roost,  the  rocks  and 
small  islands  are  literally  black  with  them.  It  is 
these  birds  that  furnish  the  guano  of  the  Peruvian 
coasts. 

On  our  way  up  the  coast,  we  passed  the  Paracas 
Peninsula,  then  San  Gallan  Island,  and,  finally,  the 
Chincha  Islands,  known  for  their  great  accumulation 
of  guano.  For  a  short  time,  before  reaching  Callao, 
land  is  lost  sight  of,  until  San  Lorenzo  Island,  at  the 
mouth  of  the  harbor,  looms  up.  Though  we  had 
raced  to  get  in  to  Callao  before  sunset,  we  did  not 
reach  the  harbor,  until  a  little  after  six  in  the  even- 
ing, with  the  result,  that  though  the  doctor  visited  us, 
no  one  was  permitted  to  land,  until  the  next  morning, 
and  we  spent  one  more  night  on  the  good  ship  Oravia. 

After  breakfast  on  June  21,  I  engaged  my  boatman, 
and  steered  for  the  landing  place.  For  taking  me 
ashore,  caring  for  my  baggage,  and  accompanying  me 
to  Lima  in  the  electric  car,  I  paid  my  boatman  four 
sols  and  a  half.  The  Peruvian  sol  is  worth  approxi- 
mately fifty  cents  of  our  money.  Peru,  unlike  other 
countries  of  South  America,  possesses  much  gold  cur- 
rency, its  gold  pound  being  the  equivalent  of  the  pound 
sterling. 

On  my  arrival  at  Lima,  I  went  at  once  to  the  Hotel 
Maury,  a  large,  damp  house  with  dark  suites,  of  vari- 
ous prices  according  to  size  and  location.  Each  guest 
obtains  a  parlor  and  bedroom,  but  the  baths  are  for 


202  Lands  of  the  Southern-  Cross 

common  use.  Prices  range  from  six  sols  (|3)  a  day 
up.  One  of  the  greatest  inconveniences  is  the  dark- 
ness, especially  as  the  electric  current  is  turned  off 
during  the  day.  My  suite  consisted  of  a  little  parlor, 
bedroom,  and  small  alcove  with  a  balcony,  overlook- 
ing the  Plaza.  From  my  balcony,  I  had  a  full  view  of 
the  cathedral,  just  across  the  street,  and  I  might  con- 
jure up  the  many  historic  scenes  of  the  old  Plaza, 
from  the  day  when  Pizarro  died  in  the  building 
opposite,  down  to  the  present  time. 


Chapter  XVII. 
PERU. 

Geography  —  History — Population  —  Government — Resources — 
Mines — Agriculture — Climate — Cities — Investments — Rail- 
roads. 

Peru^  at  one  time  the  most  important  colony  of  the 
vast  dominions  upon  which  the  sun  never  set,  the 
golden  dream  of  every  Spaniard,  the  elegant  and  re- 
fined seat  of  the  first  vice-royalty  in  the  New  World, 
Peru  is  now,  after  a  series  of  revolutions,  and  wars, 
one  of  the  most  promising  republics  of  America. 

Bounded  on  the  north  by  Ecuador  and  Columbia, 
on  the  east  by  Brazil  and  Bolivia,  on  the  south  by 
Chile,  and,  on  the  west,  by  the  Pacific  Ocean,  Peru 
extends  from  latitude  south  1°  29'  to  S.  L.  19°  13',  with 
a  coastline  of  about  1,300  miles.  The  area  of  the  coun- 
try is  about  697,640  square  miles,  divided  into  the 
coast,  the  highlands,  and  the  forest  regions.  The  coast 
extends  to  the  f'<jot  of  the  Andes,  the  distance  from 
the  sea  being  from  20  to  100  miles.  The  forest  regions 
lie  on  the  eastern  slopes  of  the  Andes  whence  the 
large  rivers  originate  that  go  to  form  the  Amazon. 
The  coast  region  is,  to  a  great  extent,  a  sandy  desert, 
broken  by  rich  and  fertile  valleys,  watered  by  streams 
from  the  mountains. 

The  inhabitants,  when  the  Spaniards  first  arrived, 
were  a  civilized  race,  dominated  by  the  conquering 
Incas  from  a  comparatively  late  period.  There  are 
remains   of   Pre-Inca   civilization   scattered    over   the 

263 


264  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

country,  in  the  immense  ruins  of  the  uplands,  as  well 
as  in  the  adobe  of  the  coast,  monuments  to  a  vanished, 
and  mysterious  people. 

The  Spaniard  Pizarro  landed  in  Peru  in  1532,  over- 
came the  Incas,  and  imposed  the  yoke  of  Spain  upon 
them.  After  scenes  of  strife  and  turbulence,  anarchy, 
revolution,  and  much  bloodshed,  the  vice-royalty  of 
Peru  was  established,  and  Lima  became  the  foremost 
capital  of  the  Spanish  colonies  in  the  New  World. 
This  vice-royalty  lasted  until  the  beginning  of  the  nine- 
teenth century,  when,  with  the  other  colonies  of  Amer- 
ica, Peru  won  its  independence,  and  became  a  republic. 
Since  then,  the  history  of  the  country  has  been  one  of 
war  and  revolution.  Besides  the  wars  with  Spain  and 
Chile,  there  have  been  more  than  eighty  revolutions, 
during  less  than  a  century  of  independence. 

The  present  population  of  Peru  amounts  to  some- 
thing like  3,548,000.  Of  these,  about  2,898,000,  or  more, 
are  Indians,  pure  or  mixed,  descendants  of  the  Incas, 
and  of  the  other  races  that  inhabited  the  country  at 
the  advent  of  the  Spaniards.  The  prominent  native 
languages  still  in  use  are  the  Quichua,  the  language 
of  the  Incas,  and  the  Aymara.  With  this  predomi- 
nance in  population,  it  is  quite  natural  that  the  In- 
dian type  should  everywhere  be  found. 

About  525,000  are  whites,  descendants  of  the  Span- 
iards, or  newcomers.  About  88,700  are  negroes,  rem 
nants  of  African  slaves,  and  there  are  over  35,000 
Chinese  who,  at  first,  iinported  to  work  on  the  planta- 
tions, have  firmly  established  themselves  in  the  land, 
as  merchants,  or  in  other  occupations. 

Emigration  to  Peru  has  been  rather  insignificant, 
and,  more  or  less,  of  a  floating  character.  The  attrac- 
tions offered  on  the  other  side  of  the  Andes  have  been 
so  great,  that  a  large  number  of  those  landing  on  the 


Peru  265 

west  coast  have,  more  than  likely,  ultimately  found 
their  way  to  Argentina.  To  instance  only  one  year, 
1905,  it  is  said  that  73,000  people  entered  Peru,  and 
64,000  left  it.i 

The  present  constitution  of  Peru  dates  from  I860. 
The  government  is  representative,  with  a  non-federal 
republic  of  twenty-one  departments,  subdivided  into 
97  provinces,  and  788  districts.  The  president  is  the 
executive  for  the  entire  country  with  his  residence 
at  Lima.  The  departments,  provinces,  and  districts 
are  respectively  administered  by  prefects,  sub-prefects, 
and  governors. 

The  legislative  branch  of  the  government  is  formed 
by  the  Senate,  and  Chamber  of  Deputies,  at  Lima,  and 
the  administration  of  justice  resides  in  the  Supreme 
Court,  nine  Superior  Courts,  and  in  justices  of  the 
peace. 

Peru  is  a  country  of  great,  though  undeveloped 
wealth,  and  of  immense  possibilities,  and,  with  a  stable 
government,  there  is  no  reason  why  it  should  not  be- 
come one  of  the  leading  republics  of  South  America, 
and  recover  from  the  effects  of  the  stunning  blow  it 
received  at  the  war  with  Chile.  During  the  colonial 
period,  Peru  was  Spain's  treasure  house,  and  immense 
quantities  of  gold  and  silver  were  exported  across  the 
seas.  Year  after  year,  the  Spanish  fleets,  their  gal- 
leons freighted  with  mineral  wealth,  crossed  the  ocean, 
sometimes  scattered  by  storms,  or,  occasionally,  at- 
tacked by  enemies  lying  in  wait  for  them.  But,  in 
spite  of  losses,  incalculable  treasure  found  its  way  to 
Spain.  Then  came  the  decline,  the  period  of  revolu- 
tion, and  the  mineral  wealth  lay  dormant,  for  want 
of  enterprise  and  capital.    No  doubt  the  land  contains 


1  A  Guide  to  Modern  Pern.     A.  de  Clairmont. 


266  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

also  much  treasure,  hidden  away  by  the  Incas,  at  the 
time  of  the  conquest,  but  it  is  almost  useless  to  seek 
for  it,  in  the  inaccessible  nooks  and  corners  where  it 
may  have  been  deposited. 

The  story  is  told,  that,  toward  the  end  of  the  six- 
teenth century,  Don  Garci-Gutierrez  de  Toledo  ac- 
quired immense  wealth  by  means  of  a  treasure,  re- 
vealed to  him  by  his  friend,  Antonio  Chayhuac, 
descendant  of  one  of  the  caciques.  The  treasure  lay 
hidden  in  the  ruins  of  the  old  capital  of  Gran  Chimu, 
which  are  still  to  be  seen,  about  two  miles  from  Tru- 
jillo,  on  the  coast.  Before  obtaining  possession  of 
the  treasure,  Don  Garci-Gutierrez  was  made  to  swear, 
that  he  would  not  become  proud  by  his  newly  acquired 
wealth,  that  he  would  be  charitable  to  the  poor,  and 
devote  the  fourth  part  of  his  riches  to  the  service  of 
God  and  the  Blessed  Virgin.  Complying  with  these 
conditions,  he  was  to  be  made  possessor  of  another 
secret  treasure,  that  of  El  Peje  Grande.  Unfortu- 
nately, Garci-Gutierrez,  in  the  possession  of  his  wealth, 
forgot  his  resolutions,  and,  when  he  had  squandered 
all,  he  returned  to  his  friend,  hoping  to  learn  of  the 
other  treasure,  but  the  Indian  proved  himself  inex- 
orable, refused  to  reveal  it,  and  carried  with  him  his 
secret  to  the  grave.^ 

It  is  not,  however,  in  its  buried  treasure,  that  the 
wealth  of  Peru  consists,  but  in  the  mineral  deposits, 
actually  worked,  or  still  awaiting  the  hand  of  the 
laborer,  as  well  as  in  its  many  other  resources.  The 
minerals  of  Peru  are  gold,  silver,  copper,  lead,  mer- 
cury, tin,  bismuth,  zinc,  iron,  and  a  very  large  num- 
ber of  others.     Many  mining  companies,  formed  with 


2  Ricardo  Palma.  Tradiciones.  Segunda  Serie,  p.  17.  "El 
Peje  Chico."  Also  Relacion  descriptiva  que  de  la  ciudad  de 
Trujillo  hace  Don  Miguel  Feyjoo  de  Sosa.     Madrid,  1763. 


Peru  267 

English  and  American  capital,  are  now  operating  in 
the  Republic,  and  many  more  will,  in  course  of  time, 
be  formed.  The  provinces  of  Sandia  and  Carabaya 
in  the  department  of  Puno  in  southeastern  Peru,  with 
their  alluvial  gold,  are  especially  prominent,  but  gold 
can  be  found  all  through  the  regions  of  the  Andes, 
frequently  in  combination  with  other  metals. 

The  same  may  be  said  of  silver,  the  exploitation  of 
which,  owing  to  its  depreciation,  has  greatly  yielded 
to  that  of  copper  which  is,  comparatively,  a  new  in- 
dustry. Most  prominent  among  the  copper  mines,  are 
those  of  the  Cerro  de  Pasco  Mining  Company,  to  which 
the  famous  Oroya  railroad  leads  from  Lima.  In  Span- 
ish days,  silver  was  the  principal  mineral  product  of 
Peru,  the  old  Inca  gold  mines  lying,  to  a  great  extent, 
neglected.  Among  the  many  sources  of  mineral  wealth 
awaiting  development  in  Peru,  coal  and  petroleum 
will,  most  likely,  yield  an  abundant  harvest  in  course 
of  time. 

Owing  to  its  diversity  of  climate,  Peru  is  rich  in  a 
great  variety  of  agricultural  products,  and,  in  its 
soil,  may  grow  almost  anything,  that  the  temperate 
zone^  or  the  tropics  can  produce.  Along  the  coast, 
thrive  the  sugar  cane  and  cotton,  the  irrigation  being 
entirely  artificial,  and  the  crops  not  being  exposed  to 
the  uncertainties  of  weather.  Hence  it  is,  that  the 
cultivation  of  the  cane  is  always  going  on,  and  the 
sugar  mill  is  constantly  working,  all  the  year  round. 
The  sugar  cane  is  cultivated  along  the  entire  coast, 
with  better  results  than  in  any  sugar  plantations  in 
other  parts  of  the  world.  Sugar  plantations  exist, 
also,  in  the  Andean  valleys,  and  in  the  forest  regions. 

The  second  place  in  the  agricultural  exports  of  Peru, 
is  occupied  by  cotton,  with  plantations  all  along  the 
coast,  one  species  of  the  plant,  the  Peruvian  cotton. 


268  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

being  exclusively  indigenous.  The  cultivation  of  cot- 
ton long  antedated  the  advent  of  Europeans,  its  use 
having  been  known  to  the  prehistoric  inhabitants. 

The  coca  plant,  the  leaves  of  which  have  been  used 
by  the  Indians  from  time  immemorial  for  chewing,  and 
from  which  cocaine  is  extracted,  is  cultivated  in  the 
valleys  of  Bolivia  and  Peru,  at  an  altitude  of  from 
1,000  to  2,000  metres,  and  a  temperature  ranging  from 
18  to  30  degrees  centigrade.  This  plant  belongs  ex- 
clusively to  Peru  and  Bolivia,  and  all  attempts  to 
acclimatize  it  elsewhere  have  failed.^ 

Eice  is  produced  to  a  considerable  extent  on  the 
northern  coast,  and  a  superior  quality  of  tobacco  is 
grown  in  several  districts  of  the  Republic. 

The  region  of  cereals  belonging  to  the  temperate 
zone  lies  in  the  plains  and  table  lands  of  the  temper- 
ate altitudes  of  the  Andes,  and  corn  which  has  been 
cultivated  from  time  immemorial,  is  especially  abun- 
dant in  the  valley  of  Chancay.  The  corn  is  used,  to 
a  large  extent,  in  the  preparation  of  "Chicha,"  the 
favorite  beverage  of  the  Indians. 

The  cultivation  of  the  grape  belongs  especially  to 
the  valleys  of  the  departments  of  Lima,  lea,  Arequipa, 
Moquegua  and  Tacna.  Peru  is  fourth  on  the  list  of 
the  wine  producing  countries  of  America,  Argentina 
being  first,  Chile  second,  and  the  United  States  third. 

Coffee  is  produced  everywhere,  but  especially  in  the 
highlands,  and  Peruvian  coffee  is  of  excellent  quality. 
On  the  other  hand,  the  cultivation  of  cocoa,  so  wide- 
spread in  tropical  regions,  though  very  promising,  is 
still  in  its  infancy. 

The  great  region  of  rubber  is  in  the  forest  lands 
on   the  eastern   slopes  of  the  Andes  toward  Brazil, 


3de  Clairmont.     A  Guide  to  Modern  Peru,  p.  112. 


Peru  269 

especially  on  the  Yucayali  river,  which  is  the  main 
source  of  the  Amazon. 

The  olive,  originally  imported  from  Spain,  thrives 
in  the  neighborhood  of  Lima,  and  in  several  of  the 
valleys.  The  Peruvian  olive  is  excellent  for  its  size, 
richness,  and  quality. 

The  forests  are  rich  in  valuable  woods  of  every  vari- 
ety, for  building,  medicinal  uses,  dying  and  so  forth. 

It  may  be  said,  in  a  word,  that  agricultural  possi- 
bilities in  Peru  are  unlimited,  and  that  all  that  is 
needed  for  further  development  is  the  influx  of  money 
and  of  men. 

Stock  raising  is  still  comparatively  unimportant, 
though  hogs  are  raised  in  great  numbers,  especially 
for  the  production  of  lard.  The  rearing  of  goats  is, 
also,  an  important  industry  in  some  of  the  northern 
provinces. 

The  production  of  wool  is  a  marked  industry  of  this 
productive  country,  where,  besides  sheeps'  wool,  that 
of  the  llama,  the  alpaca,  and  the  vicufia  are  of  special 
prominence.  The  llama  is  still  the  beast  of  burden 
of  the  Peruvian  uplands,  where  it  has  lived  from  time 
immemorial.  It  does  not  thrive  in  the  low  countries, 
hence  it  is  seldom  seen  on  the  coast.  It  was  the 
only  beast  of  burden  known  in  Peru  before  the 
conquest. 

Peru  enjoys  a  variety  of  climates,  from  the  mild 
and  equable  temperature  of  the  coast,  through  the 
severe  cold  of  the  Andean  peaks,  to  the  torrid  atmos- 
phere of  the  Amazonian  regions.  The  antarctic  cur- 
rent, discovered  by  Von  Humboldt,  and  named  after 
him,  moderates  the  heat  of  the  tropics  on  the  coast, 
even  in  midsummer.  Rain  is  unknown  on  the  coast, 
but  fogs  prevail,  and,  in  winter,  a  heavy  mist,  like  a 
light  drizzle,  falls. 


270  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

The  centres  of  population  are  in  the  cities,  towns, 
villages,  and  plantations  scattered  over  the  country. 
A  number  of  towns  are  on  the  coast.  Those  lying  be- 
tween the  borders  of  Chile,  and  Callao  have  been  men- 
tioned on  our  journey  from  Valpariaso  to  Peru,  and, 
as  we  continue  our  voyage  to  the  north,  we  shall  refer 
to  others  lying  between  Callao  and  Ecuador. 

The  most  interesting  city  in  Peru,  after  Lima,  and, 
probably  in  America  from  an  archaeological  stand- 
point, is  Cuzco,  to  which  a  railroad  leads  from  Mol- 
lendo.  Cuzco,  supposed  to  have  been  founded  by 
Manco  Capac,  the  first  Inca,  in  1043  A.  D.,  was  the 
capital  of  the  Incas.  It  was  taken  by  Pizarro,  some 
years  after  his  landing,  and,  at  once,  it  became  im- 
portant in  the  history  of  the  colony.  Of  all  American 
cities,  it  retains  most  monuments  of  the  aboriginal 
race;  for  it  is,  practically,  built  upon  the  ruins  of  the 
old  Inca  city.  The  Temple  of  the  Sun,  the  Inca  pal- 
aces, and  the  fortress  of  Saxahuaman  are  so  many 
objects  of  interest  to  the  archaeologist,  and  to  the  lover 
of  the  past  generally. 

Cuzco  is  also  of  importance  for  its  monuments  of 
the  early  colonial  period,  such  as  the  cathedral,  and 
the  old  churches  of  the  Friars,  and  of  the  Jesuits, 
where  the  splendor  of  the  worship  of  those  early  days 
is  still  manifest  in  the  gorgeous  ornamentation  sur- 
viving the  ruin,  wrought  by  time  and  the  neglect  of 
man. 

The  old  Inca  city  has  a  population  of  from  eighteen 
to  twenty  thousand.  It  is  situated  to  the  southeast 
of  Lima,  high  up  in  the  Andes,  at  an  altitude  of 
11,000  feet.  It  may  be  reached  by  the  Antofagasta 
railroad  via  Lake  Titicaca,  or  from  Mollendo,  by  Are- 
quipa.  Eegular  steamers  north  and  south  bound 
call  twice  a  week  at  Mollendo.    The  old  road  over  the 


Peru  271 

mountains  on  horseback  would  be  long,  tedious,  and 
expensive.  Before  the  introduction  of  raliways,  there 
was,  of  course,  no  other  way  to  reach  the  outside 
world. 

The  city  of  Arequipa  is  in  population,  35,000,  con- 
siderably larger  than  Cuzco,  south  of  which  it  lies  at 
an  altitude  of  7,550  feet.  From  a  commercial  stand- 
point, it  is  of  considerable  importance.  The  celebra- 
ted Villaroel,  bishop  of  Santiago  de  Chile,  was  pro- 
moted to  Arequipa  where  he  died. 

Among  the  coast  towns,  south  of  Callao,  not  yet 
mentioned,  you  will  find  on  the  map  of  Peru,  Pisco, 
Tambo  de  Mora,  and  Cero  Azul,  small  towns,  more 
or  less,  important. 

Northeast  of  Lima,  at  an  altitude  of  16,500  feet, 
lies  Cerro  de  Pasco,  with  a  population  of  12,000,  in 
the  heart  of  a  rich  mining  district,  about  a  hundred 
miles  north  of  the  head  of  the  famous  Oroya  railroad. 
The  Cerro  de  Pasco  copper  mines  are  now  famous. 

Other  interior  towns  are  Tarna,  Jauja,  Concepcion, 
Huancayo,  and  Huanuco.  Some  of  these  can  only  be 
reached  by  mule.  Huanuco,  or  San  Leon  de  Huan- 
uco, is,  probably,  the  Leon  that  figures  in  the  works 
of  Lope  de  Vega,  as  the  city,  founded  by  one  of  the 
conquistadores,  where  his  real,  or  imaginary,  corre- 
spondent, Amarillis,  had  her  residence. 

Huancavelica  and  Castrovireyna  are  mining  towns. 
At  the  end  of  the  sixteenth  century  the  former  be- 
came suddenly  famous,  as  the  rumor  had  spread  that 
rich  silver  mines  had  been  discovered  in  the  vicinity. 
This  drew  a  large  number  of  Limenos,  who  expected 
to  find  another  Potosi.  Near  to  Huancavelica  is  the 
quicksilver  mine  of  Santa  Barbara. 

Castrovireyna,  situated  in  the  mountains  in  a  very 
cold  region,  lies  about  eighteen  leagues  from  Huan- 


272  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

cavelica,  and  about  forty  from  the  sea.  According  to 
tradition,  this  town  was  originally  an  Indian  village, 
which  obtained  its  importance  from  a  visit,  sometime 
about  1590,  of  Dona  Teresa  de  Castro,  wife  of  the 
famous  viceroy,  Don  Garcia  Hurtado  de  Mendoza.  She 
had  come,  to  be  godmother  to  an  Indian  child.  The 
town  prospered  for  a  period  in  the  time  of  the  viceroys, 
then  declined,  until  it  became  only  a  ghost  of  its  for- 
mer self;  but,  at  present,  it  is  again  a  mining  district 
of  note,  and  it  may,  sooner  or  later,  surpass  the  pros- 
perity it  enjoyed  when  Don  Francisco  de  Borja,  prince 
of  Esquilache,  the  poet,  was  viceroy  of  Peru.* 

The  city  of  Tarna  lies  about  three  hours'  distance 
on  horseback  from  Oroya,  which  is  reached  from  Lima 
in  one  day.  Tarna  is  a  very  prosperous  city  in  the 
department  of  Juni,  some  distance  from  the  Chan- 
chamayo  valley,  where  the  forest  region  begins.  The 
population  of  Tarna  is  from  eight  to  ten  thousand. 

On  the  other  side  of  the  mountain,  lies  the  port  of 
Iquitos  on  the  Amazon,  which  is  in  direct  communi- 
cation with  the  coast  of  Brazil,  with  European  ports, 
and  with  New  York,  by  means  of  the  Booth  Line,  the 
Ked  Cross  Line,  and  the  Amazon  Steam  Navigation 
Company.  Owing  to  the  Amazon,  Peru  may,  thus,  be 
approached  from  the  Atlantic,  as  well  as  from  the 
Pacific,  though  the  voyage  up  the  Amazon  is  a  long 
one.  There  is  also  a  project  on  foot  to  connect  Iqui- 
tos with  the  western  coast  by  railroad. 

In  spite  of  its  many  resources,  of  its  scattered  cen- 
tres of  population,  and  of  its  abundance  of  water 
power  in  the  numerous  cataracts  of  the  Andes,  man- 
ufacturing in  Peru  is  still  in  the  incipient  stage,  al- 


*  See  Ricardo  Palma.     Tradiciones,  2nd  Series,  p.  53. 


Peru  273 

though,  of  late,  the  natives  themselves  have  invested 
a  considerable  amount  of  capital  in  manufacturing 
enterprises.  The  principal  industries  are  woolen  goods, 
silk,  paper,  matches,  shoes,  flour,  lard,  wine,  preserved 
fruits,  chocolate,  cotton  seed  oil,  and  cocaine. 

A  great  deal  of  American  money  is  invested  in 
Peru,  and  there,  surely,  exists  a  marked  feeling  of 
kindness  toward  our  country  whose  influence  is,  prob- 
ably, stronger  in  Peru,  than  anywhere  else  in  South 
America,  although,  in  trade  and  commerce,  the  Ger- 
mans appear  to  have  gotten  the  best  of  us.  The  secret 
of  their  success  is  their  constant  attention  to,  and 
their  study  of  the  special  needs,  and  demands  of  the 
people.  Italian  and  French  merchants  have,  also,  been 
successful,  while  the  English  devote  themselves  main- 
ly to  the  wholesale  import,  and  export  trade.  It  is 
needless  to  repeat,  that  the  houses  of  W.  E.  Grace 
and  Company  and  Duncan,  Fox  and  Company  are  of 
especial  prominence.  The  construction  of  railways  and 
other  public  works,  as  well  as  mining  operations  are, 
largely,  in  the  hands  of  Americans. 

One  great  drawback  to  the  prosperity  of  Peru  lies 
in  the  difficulty  of  travel,  owing  to  the  mountainous 
character  of  the  country.  However,  railroad  facilities 
are  on  the  increase,  in  spite  of  the  many  difficulties 
engineers  have  had  to  overcome. 

The  Oroya  railroad,  one  of  the  most  extraordinary, 
owing  to  its  grade,  was  begun  by  Col.  Henry  Meiggs 
in  1869.  It  is  now  the  highway  from  the  sea  to  the 
Cerro  de  Pasco  mines.  In  one  day,  it  takes  you  from 
Callao,  through  Lima,  to  the  high  altitudes  of  Oroya, 
reaching  at  one  point  an  altitude  of  over  15,600  feet. 
It  was  Meiggs  too  who  built  the  railway  from  Mol- 
lendo  to  Lake  Titicaca. 


274  Lands  of  the  Southern  Gross 

Two  years  ago,  there  were  between  five  and  six  hun- 
dred miles  of  railway  in  operation,  and  new  lines  are 
building  all  the  time;  but,  in  the  interior  of  the  coun- 
try, much  travel  must  still  be  done  by  mule  or  horse, 
on  journeys,  lasting  for  days. 

Those  interested  in  the  progress  of  Peru,  may  be 
kept  posted  to  date  by  an  interesting  periodical,  Peru 
Today,  published  at  Lima,  by  an  American,  Mr.  John 
Vavasour  Noel. 


Chapter  XVIII. 
SACRED  MEMORIES  OF  LIMA. 

Climate— The  Cathedral— Crypt  of  the  Bishops— Tomb  of  Pi- 
zarro — St.  Toribio — Archiepiscopal  Palace — The  Church  in 
Peru — Santo  Domingo — St.  Rose — University  of  St.  Mark — 
San  Francisco — St.  Francis  Solano — Alameda  de  los  Des- 
calzos. 

As  I  look  over  my  notes,  jotted  down  at  random, 
during  my  Lima  days,  I  read  these  words:  "How  dif- 
ferent from  the  Lima  of  my  dreams !"  Yes ;  Lima  was 
a  disappointment;  everything:  churches,  convents, 
dwellings,  from  the  cathedral  down,  seemed  to  be  in 
need  of  repairs;  for  the  hand  of  decay  was  over  all. 
But  I  was  soon  to  learn,  that  Lima  grows  upon  you, 
and  entwines  itself  around  your  heart,  with  that  sub- 
tle influence,  and  inexplicable  charm,  proceeding,  per- 
haps, from  the  amiable  manners  of  its  inhabitants,  or, 
it  may  be,  from  that  mysterious  web  that  history  and 
legend  have  woven  around  it. 

To  increase  still  more  the  darkness  of  my  first  im 
pressions,  the  weather  was  gloomy,  and  grey  clouds 
hung  over  the  city.  I  soon  discovered,  that  this  was 
the  ordinary  winter  weather  of  Lima,  when  the  sun 
is  seldom  seen,  while  a  few  miles  away,  as  you  begin 
to  ascend  the  heights,  it  shines  brightly  through  the 
transparent  atmosphere. 

"And  they  tell  me  that  it  never  rains,"  I  thought, 
as  I  noticed  a  heavy  drizzle  falling.  Again,  and 
again,  during  my  stay  in  Lima,  this  heavy  fog  fell, 

275 


276  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

very  much  as  we  have  it  at  home,  on  some  damp  days 
of  winter.  But,  as  a  rule,  it  did  not  last  long,  and 
it  never  really  became  rain.  Though  it  moistens  your 
clothing  to  a  considerable  extent,  no  one  minds  it, 
and  no  such  thing  as  an  umbrella  is  ever  seen  on  the 
streets.  Rain,  as  we  know  it,  is  not  known  in  Peru, 
and  when  Peruvians  leave  their  country  for  the  first 
time,  arriving  in  Panama  in  the  rainy  season,  the 
tremendous  tropical  showers  that  pour  down  their 
volumes  of  w^ater  are  a  revelation  to  them. 

The  gloom,  the  drizzle,  the  air  of  antiquity  made  me 
feel  that  I  was  in  the  city  of  the  Inquisition.  As  I 
looked  out  from  my  balcony,  the  great  square  of  the 
city,  with  its  seats,  its  pedestrians,  and  its  tropical 
vegetation,  lay  before  me.  On  my  right,  arose  the 
towers  of  the  cathedral,  and  directly  in  front  stood 
the  government  building.  A  line  of  electric  cars,  run- 
ning between  the  hotel  and  the  cathedral,  reminded 
me,  that  I  was  in  the  twentieth  century.  Lima  has  a 
perfect  system  of  electric  cars,  more  American  in 
appearance  than  in  Chile,  or  Argentina. 

The  great  square  is  the  very  heart  of  old  Lima,  the 
Lima  that  was  founded  by  Francisco  Pizarro.  As  is 
generally  the  case,  the  cathedral  is  on  the  square,  with 
the  churches  of  the  mendicants  and  Jesuits  in  the 
vicinity. 

My  first  visit  was  to  the  cathedral,  and  though  it 
was  only  after  several  visits,  that  I  seized  upon  all 
its  details,  I  may  as  well  devote  my  attention  to  it 
now.  Again,  as  I  entered  the  edifice,  my  impression 
was  one  of  gloom,  for  the  interior  is  long  and  sombre. 
There  are  no  windows,  and  whatever  light  there  is 
must  come  from  above.  The  conventual  Mass  was  in 
progress,  but  there  were  very  few  people  in  church. 


THE  CATHEDEAL,  LIMA 


Sacred  Memories  of  Lima  211 

The  cathedral  is  built  in  the  style  of  the  Spanish 
Renaissance,  though  purer,  and  less  gorgeous,  than  the 
churches  of  the  CMrurgueresque  period.  The  facade 
is  flanked  by  two  towers.  However,  there  is  an  air  of 
decay  about  the  building,  and  great  pieces  of  plaster 
have  fallen  off,  exposing  the  fragile  material  of  which  it 
is  composed.  I  may  here  remark,  that  the  buildings  of 
Lima,  unlike  the  solid  stone  edifices  of  Cuzco,  are  con- 
structed of  adobe,  or  of  laths  and  plaster,  the  fre- 
quency of  earthquakes  having,  probably,  exerted  an 
influence  on  the  architecture  of  the  city.  If  the  lower 
stories  of  the  houses  are  more  solid,  of  brick  or  stone, 
the  upper  ones  are,  always,  of  this  light  material.  The 
absence  of  windows  is  another  remarkable  feature  of 
the  old  churches  of  Lima,  the  long,  unbroken  walls 
giving  a  fortress-like  appearance  to  the  edifices. 

The  most  beautiful  portion  of  the  cathedral  is  the 
spacious  sanctuary,  with  its  splendid  stalls  of  carved 
wood  for  the  canons.  Wood  carving  was,  at  one  time, 
a  flourishing  art  in  Peru,  as  is  evidenced  by  the  mag- 
nificent ceilings,  and  furniture  that  one  sees,  especially 
in  the  monasteries.    The  wood  is  generally  black. 

Beneath  the  sanctuary,  lies  the  crypt  of  the  bishops, 
but  there  is  nothing  left  of  the  early  colonial  period. 
Lima  has  been  very  careless  with  its  dead.  The  most 
eminent  men  and  women  lie  slumbering  in  the  dust, 
beneath  monastic  churches,  in  dark  and  almost  un- 
known crypts,  but  there  is  nothing  to  identify  them. 
Their  biographies  have  been  written,  but  their  mortal 
remains  have  been  neglected.  My  inquiries  in  the 
churches  of  the  Augustinians,  Dominicans,  Francis- 
cans, and  Jesuits,  where  I  know  that  many  great 
personages  are  interred,  resulted  in  no  definite  in- 
formation, save  that  they  were  buried  there,  but  that 
nothing  was  known  of  them.     In  one  monastery,   a 


278  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

Friar  kindly  volunteered  to  guide  me  to  the  subter- 
ranean burial  place  that  he  had  not  seen  for  years. 
It  was  a  picture  of  desolation.  Skulls  and  bones,  with 
decaying  chests  of  wood  that  once  contained  human 
remains,  were  scattered  in  all  directions;  but  nowhere 
was  there  a  sign  of  an  inscription. 

In  the  cathedral  crypt,  there  are  a  few  massive 
tombs  of  unknown  prelates,  but  most  of  those  with 
inscriptions  belong  to  the  nineteenth  century.  Of  the 
early  bishops  there  is  no  trace  whatsoever.  Some- 
where, I  cannot  now  recall  where  it  was,  though  it, 
probably,  was  among  the  tombs  of  the  cathedral  crypt, 
I  found  mention  made  of  a  bishop  of  Ayacucho  with  an 
Irish  name,  the  Right  Eeverend  Santiago  Jos4 
OThelan  who  died  in  1857. 

If  the  remains  of  most  of  the  bishops  have  disap- 
peared, it  is  not  thus  with  their  portraits,  for  the 
walls  of  the  spacious  sacristy  are  lined  with  large  oil 
paintings  of  all  the  archbishops  of  Lima. 

From  the  sanctuary,  to  the  entrance  of  the  cathe- 
dral, there  are  dark  and  gloomy  chapels  on  both  sides, 
closed  by  large  grated  doors.  On  your  left,  as  you 
face  the  altar,  you  will  have,  not  far  from  the  entrance 
to  the  sacristy,  the  chapel  containing  the  remains  of 
Pizarro  the  Conqueror,  though  their  identity  is  not 
beyond  dispute.  The  skeleton  was  taken,  it  is  said, 
from  the  crypt  of  the  bishops.  The  monument  is  un- 
ostentatiously located  in  a  dark  corner  of  the  Capilla 
de  Guadalupe^  and  the  skeleton  is  seen  in  a  glass  case. 

Opposite  the  Guadalupe  chapel,  on  the  other  side  of 
the  church,  is  that  of  the  archbishop,  St.  Toribio  de 
Mogrovejo,  with  some  of  his  relics,  including  his 
chasuble,  his  hat,  without  a  crown,  and  his  sandals. 
The  head  of  the  saint,  I  am  told,  is  preserved  else- 
where. 


Sacred  Memories  of  Lima  279 

Toribio  Alfonso  de  Mogrovejo/  second  archbishop  of 
Lima,  bom  in  Europe,  was  appointed  to  the  most  im- 
portant see  of  the  New  World,  much  against  his  will, 
in  1578,  to  succeed  the  Dominican,  Jeronimo  de  Loayza 
who  had  died  three  years  before.  At  that  period,  the 
ecclesiastical  province  of  Lima  was  the  largest  in  the 
world  in  point  of  territory,  comprising  as  it  did  the 
dioceses  of  Nicaragua,  Panama,  Popayan,  Quito,  Cuz- 
co,  Charcas  (Sucre),  Santiago  de  Chile,  La  Imperial 
(Concepcion),  Tucuman,  and  the  Eio  de  la  Plata,  in 
other  words,  almost  the  whole  of  South  America,  with 
a  portion  of  what  is  now  Central  America.  And  yet, 
the  saintly  archbishop  managed  to  hold  three  provin- 
cial councils.  At  the  first  of  these,  in  1583,  the  cate- 
chism, or  "Doctrina  Cristiana,"  was  ordered,  which, 
composed,  I  believe,  by  the  Jesuit  Acosta,  if  not  by 
Santo  Toribio  himself,  was  translated  into  the  Quichua 
and  Aymara  tongues  by  the  Jesuits,  and  printed  by 
Ricardo  in  1584.  This  was  the  first  book  ever  printed 
in  South  America.  A  copy  of  it  exists  in  the  Museo 
Mitre  in  Buenos  Aires.  The  first  part  of  it  in  Span- 
ish was  republished  in  Eome  in  1591,  by  a  former 
Pontifical  Zouave,  Josef  C.  Sevilla  of  Lima. 

It  is  incredible,  that  Archbishop  Toribio  could  have 
visited  his  vast  diocese  three  times,  in  the  space  of 
twelve  years,  traveling  six  thousand  miles,  to  the  fur- 
thest nooks  and  corners  of  that  mountainous  country. 
Santo  Toribio  died  in  1606,  and  he  was  canonized  by 
Benedict  XIII.  in  1726.  It  was  during  the  Ponti- 
ficate of  Santo  Toribio,  that  St.  Rose  de  Lima,  St. 
Francisco  Solano,  Blessed  Juan  Macias,  Blessed  Mar- 


iSt.  Toribio  is  really  the  third  archbishop,  but  he  may  be 
regarded  as  the  second,  since  the  prelate  appointed  before  him, 
never  took  possession  of  the  see  of  Lima.  See  Vida  de  Don 
Alfonso  Torihio  de  Mogrovejo,  by  Antonio  de  Leon  Pinelo. 


280  Lands  of  the  SoiitJiern  Cross 

tin  Poras,  and  a  number  of  other  persons,  distinguished 
for  their  virtues,  flourished  in  Lima. 

To  the  right  of  the  cathedral,  stands  a  large  chapel, 
a  church  in  itself.  High  up,  within  it,  on  both 
sides,  there  are  two  balconies  in  the  style  of  the 
balconies  of  the  old  houses  one  sees  everywhere.  These 
were,  probably,  used  in  the  days  gone  by  for  certain 
privileged  dignitaries. 

Beyond  this  chapel,  you  may  see  what  is  left  of  the 
old  archiepiscopal  palace,  now  in  ruins,  though  there 
is  some  talk  of  rebuilding  it.  You  may  enter  the  fine 
old  courtyard  from  the  Plaza  Mayor,  through  a  large 
doorway,  or  from  the  cathedral.  A  flight  of  marble  stairs 
leads  up  to  the  reception  rooms  on  your  left,  as  you 
face  these  steps.  These  serve,  at  the  present  time,  for 
the  keeping  of  the  archives.  The  rooms  opposite,  open- 
ing on  the  gallery  above  the  patio,  are  now  used  as 
administrative  offices  of  the  parish.  The  archbishop's 
apartments  which  overlooked  the  Plaza  Mayor,  and 
where  the  room  of  St.  Toribio  may  have  existed,  have 
been  destroyed. 

The  cathedral  was  consecrated  on  October  19,  1625, 
by  the  Archbishop  Don  Gonzalo  de  Ocampo,  the  cere- 
mony beginning  at  seven  in  the  morning,  and  lasting 
until  nine  at  night.  The  building  was  begun  in  1536, 
and  eighty -nine  years  were  spent  on  its  construction, 
at  a  cost  of  six  hundred  thousand  dollars.  Almost 
entirely  destroyed  by  the  earthquake  of  1746,  it  was 
at  once  rebuilt.  The  towers,  of  imperishable  wood, 
were  constructed  in  1797.  Among  the  objects  of  in- 
terest preserved  in  the  sacred  edifice  is  a  painting  by 
Murillo,  La  Veronica,  donated  in  1850  by  the  arch- 
bishop, Luna  Pizarro. 

The  present  archbishop,  the  Most  Keverend  Pedro 
Manuel  Garcia  Naranjo,  lives  in  a  private  dwelling. 


Sacred  Memories  of  Lima  281 

some  distance  back  of  the  cathedral.  The  house  is 
built  in  the  old  Spanish  style,  with  a  spacious  patio, 
opening  on  the  street,  and  reminding  one  of  some  old 
Neapolitan  palace,  with  the  exception  that,  like  the 
houses  of  Lima  generally,  it  is  quite  low.  Of  course, 
I  called  to  pay  my  respects,  being  received  most  cor- 
dially. My  experience  has  shown  me  everywhere,  that 
the  bishops  of  South  America  are  quite  approachable, 
with  a  charming  simplicity  and  affability,  and  an 
agreeable  absence  of  obnoxious  formality.  My  cele- 
hret,  or  license  to  celebrate  Mass,  was  signed  by  the 
archbishop's  secretary,  an  ecclesiastic  with  the  English 
name  of  Philipps. 

Including  the  See  of  Lima,  there  are  nine  dioceses 
in  Peru,  the  others  being  Cuzco,  Arequipa,  Trujillo, 
Ayacucho,  Chacapoyas,  Huanuco,  Huaras,  and  Caja- 
marca.  Two  of  the  bishops  are  Franciscans,  one  a 
Lazarist,  another,  a  member  of  the  Order,  known  as 
Picpus,  and  five  are  secular  ecclesiastics. 

Peru,  with  all  its  advantages  and  churches  innum- 
erable, has  known  to  an  alarming  extent  the  decline 
of  religion,  and  though,  today,  there  is  a  marked  im- 
provement over  the  past,  there  still  remains  much  to 
be  desired.  As  far  back  as  the  sixteenth  century,  a 
frightful  state  of  religious  neglect  must  have  existed 
in  Lima,  if  we  accept  the  statement  of  the  Jesuit 
Oliva  who  gives  the  credit  for  the  first  impulse  toward 
reform  to  the  Fathers  of  his  own  Society.  Those  were 
the  days  of  the  many  lawless  adventurers  and  fortune 
hunters  who  were  pouring  into  the  New  World  which, 
as  Cervantes  remarked  in  his  day,  was  the  dumping 
ground  for  Spain. 

At  the  period  of  the  administration  of  the  saintly 
Toribio,  a  certain  degree  of  religious  fervor  existed. 
It  was  the  time,   when   St.  Francis  Solano  was  the 


282  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

ornament  of  the  Franciscan  order  in  Peru,  and  when 
St.  Kose  was  edifying  her  fellow  citizens,  by  her 
extraordinary  virtues. 

Then  followed  a  series  of  vicissitudes,  of  ups  and 
downs,  when  good  and  bad  were  mingled,  and  the 
wheat  and  the  tares  grew  together.  Strange  times 
those  were,  indeed,  according  to  our  views,  when  the 
bullfights  on  the  Plaza  Mayor  were  attended  not  only 
by  the  vice-regal  court,  but  by  the  religious  communi- 
ties, and  by  the  archbishop  himself.  Bullfights,  alter- 
nating with  an  occasional  auto  de  je,  furnished  period- 
ical excitement  to  the  people  of  Lima.  The  auto  de  fe 
has  gone;  but  the  bullfight  still  endures. 

Perhaps,  if  the  matter  could  be  thoroughly  studied, 
it  might  be  found,  that  religious  decadence  became 
especially  pronounced  at  the  succession  of  the  House 
of  Bourbon ;  but,  however  that  may  be,  the  revolution, 
instead  of  mending  matters,  made  them  worse.  Caesar- 
ism,  and  the  interference  of  governments  destroyed, 
or,  at  least,  neutralized  the  vigilance  of  Kome,  while 
the  country  was  kept  in  perpetual  agitation,  by  one 
revolution,  succeeding  the  other. 

The  old  mendicant  orders  were  withdrawn  from  the 
jurisdiction  of  their  superiors  in  Eome,  constituting, 
as  it  were,  independent  bodies  in  Peru,  with  the  result 
that  they  fell  into  a  state  of  deplorable  decadence, 
while,  it  seems,  that  the  state  of  the  clergy  in  general 
took  a  downward  descent,  with  a  general  relaxation 
of  morals.  This  state  of  affairs  lasted,  until  Monsig- 
nor,  now  Cardinal,  Serafino  Vannutelli,  being  Apos- 
tolic Delegate  in  Peru,  began,  in  1871,  a  reform  of 
religious  orders  in  the  country  which  has  succeeded 
in  placing  them  upon  a  respectable  basis.  The  intro- 
duction of  modern  congregations,  like  the  Kedemp- 
torists,  Lazarists,   Salesians,   and   others,   helped  the 


Sacred  Memories  of  Lima  283 

good  work  along,  both  by  word,  and  example,  and  it 
may  be  safely  said  that,  today,  the  religious  orders 
are  in  a,  more  or  less,  flourishing  condition. 

The  parish  priests  of  Lima  are  well  spoken  of, 
though  complaints  are  heard  against  some  of  the 
ecclesiastics  from  Europe.  The  districts  away  from 
the  cities,  where  priests  are  very  isolated,  still  leave 
much  to  be  desired,  and,  from  what  I  could  learn, 
there  is  still  room  for  a  general  reformation  through- 
out the  country.  As  contact  with  the  rest  of  the  world 
increases,  railroads  become  more  numerous,  and  closer 
relations  between  the  centres  of  population  are  estab- 
lished, an  amelioration  is  bound  to  come.  The  fact, 
that  there  has  been  such  a  marked  improvement  of 
late,  gives  hope  for  better  things  in  the  future.  Un- 
fortunately, for  the  Church  in  Peru,  there  are  few 
vocations  to  the  priesthood,  and  the  native  clergy  is 
dying  out.  The  Church  will  have  to  depend  largely 
on  importations  from  abroad. 

The  Seminary  of  Lima,  diagonally  across  the  street 
from  the  archbishop's  house,  is  a  very  old  one.  It 
was  founded  in  1591  by  Saint  Toribio,  and  it  is  said 
to  be  the  oldest  seminary  in  America.  At  present, 
it  is  under  the  direction  of  the  Spanish  Fathers, 
founded  by  Archbishop  Clavel  of  Santiago  de  Cuba, 
who  are,  everywhere,  highly  spoken  of. 

If  you  listen  to  some  of  the  priests,  they  tell  you 
that  religion  is  in  a  very  bad  condition,  that  the 
men  do  not  frequent  the  sacraments,  that  the  influ- 
ence of  St.  Mark's  university  is  evil,  and  that  a  Cath- 
olic university  is  absolutely  needed.  On  the  other 
hand,  if  you  go  to  some  of  the  churches  on  Sunday 
morning,  you  will  see  them  crowded,  and  visiting  the 
prominent  churches,  like  Santo  Domingo,  San  Fran- 
cisco, and  that  of  the  Jesuits,  you  will  observe  a  goodly 


284  Lands  of  the  Southern  Gross 

number  at  Mass  on  week  days.  Women  are,  of  course, 
in  the  vast  majority,  yet  I  have,  time  and  again,  seen 
a  large  number  of  men  on  week  day  mornings  in  the 
church  of  the  Jesuits.  To  judge  from  appearances, 
religion  is  not  on  the  decline,  and  the  churches  are 
very  much  frequented,  while  there  is,  surely,  much 
piety  among  the  women. 

I  must,  also,  remark,  that  Lima  is  full  of  churches; 
for  you  can  hardly  move  without  finding  yourself  near 
some  church  or  chapel.  Besides,  there  is  a  very  large 
number  of  convents,  there  being  about  fourteen  of 
cloistered  nuns,  not  to  speak  of  the  many  institutions 
of  Tertiaries,  or  Beatas,  pious  women  living  a  com- 
munity life  in  some  conventual  establishment. 

One  of  the  finest,  and  most  frequented  of  the 
churches,  is  that  of  Santo  Domingo  of  the  Dominican 
Order,  situated  beyond  the  Plaza  Mayor,  almost  di- 
rectly opposite  the  cathedral.  The  Domincans  are  the 
oldest  religious  in  Peru.  When  Pizarro  had  estab- 
lished the  large  church  in  Lima  which  is  now  the 
cathedral,  it  was  entrusted  to  the  Fathers  of  this 
Order.  The  site  of  their  convent,  opposite  the  cathe- 
dral, was  donated  to  them  by  the  Captain,  Diego  de 
Aguero.^  On  the  tiles  of  the  courtyard,  the  date  of 
1606  is  seen  which  is  that  of  the  building. 

You  enter  the  monastery,  passing  from  Santo 
Domingo  street  in  front  of  the  church,  through  a 
large  gateway  into  a  dark  vestibule.  On  your  left, 
as  you  pass,  is  the  large  reception  room,  with  antique 
furniture,  and  a  magnificently  carved  ceiling  in  black 
wood,  of  which  some  of  the  pieces,  weakened  by  age, 
are  beginning  to  fall  off.  The  building  itself  is  of 
adobe,  with  red  bricks  here  and  there.     The  court- 


1  La   Orden  de   Santo   Domingo   en   el   Peru.     Fr.   Domingo 
Aligulo.  O.  P.    Preface  by  Fr.  Paulino  Alvarez,  O.  P. 


Sacred  Memories  of  Lima  285 

yard,  that  must  once  have  been  splendid,  is  in  such 
a  state  of  decay,  that  one  of  the  galleries  has  to  be 
propped  up  with  wooden  supports.  The  cloister 
around  the  patiOj  and  the  very  massive  staircase  lead- 
ing to  the  choir  at  the  rear  of  the  church,  are  lined 
with  antique  glazed  tiles,  with  quaint  designs. 

Entering  from  the  courtyard  into  a  somewhat  dark 
corridor,  you  will  have  on  your  right  an  old  chapel 
with  a  carved  wooden  pulpit.  A  slab  in  the  floor  gives 
entrance  to  the  mortuary  vault  where  the  remains  of 
past  generations  of  Dominicans  are  slumbering  in  the 
dust.  It  was  here  that  the  body  of  St.  Kose  was  laid 
to  rest  after  her  death. 

An  oblong  stone  in  the  cloister,  near  the  great  stair- 
case, marks  the  spot  where  the  remains  repose  of  early 
members  of  the  nobility  who  were  benefactors  of  the 
Order  in  Peru. 

The  memory  of  some  of  the  distinguished  Domin- 
icans who  flourished  in  Peru  in  early  colonial  times, 
is  preserved  in  the  large  sacristy  in  their  portraits  in 
oil  on  the  walls.  Among  them,  I  observed  Father 
Valverde,  the  first  bishop  in  Peru,  who  accompanied 
Pizarro  and  who  figured  so  conspicuously  in  the  his- 
tory of  the  unfortunate  Atahualpa.  I  have  reason  to 
believe,  that  our  historians  have  not  treated  this  man, 
the  first  martyr  in  Peru,  justly,  and  that  the  true 
history  of  Bishop  Valverde  still  remains  to  be  written. 

Others  whose  portraits  are  seen  in  the  sacristy  are 
Loaysa,  the  first  archbishop  of  Lima,  Lorenzana,  the 
confessor  of  St.  Kose,  and  that  excellent  poet,  Diego 
de  Ojeda,  author  of  the  Cristiada. 

The  old  library  of  the  Dominicans,  like  other  libra- 
ries in  Lima,  this  being  a  general  complaint,  suffered 
terribly  during  the  period  of  the  Chilean  invasion. 
An  interesting  book  preserved  here,  is  the  History  of 


286  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

the  Order  in  Peru,  by  Juan  Melendez,  a  Peruvian 
writer.  It  was  published  in  Rome,  about  the  year 
1680. 

This  Dominican  church  is  the  same  in  which  St. 
Eose  was  wont  to  pray,  though,  in  the  course  of  ages, 
it  has,  naturally,  undergone  several  alterations.  A 
chapel,  near  the  entrance  to  the  monastery,  on  the 
Epistle  side,  is  now  the  "Calvary  Chapel;"  but,  in  the 
days  of  St.  Rose,  it  was  dedicated  to  the  Holy  Rosary, 
and  here  she  spent  much  of  her  time.  The  vision  of 
Christ,  recorded  by  her  biographers,  took  place  on  this 
spot.  The  event  is  commemorated  by  a  slab  with  the 
inscription:  Rosa  de  mi  corazon  yo  te  quiero  por 
esposa. — Ve  aqm  esta  esclava  tuya,  0  Rey  de  la 
Eterna  Majestad,  tuya  soy,  y  tuya  sere.  "Rose  of 
My  Heart,  I  wish  thee  to  be  My  spouse. — Behold  Thy 
slave,  O  King  of  Eternal  Majesty,  I  am  Thine,  and 
Thine  I  will  be." 

At  a  side  altar,  on  the  same  side  of  the  church, 
dedicated  to  St.  Rose,  her  head  and  some  of  her  bones 
are  preserved  in  a  gilded  urn,  between  the  relics  of 
Blessed  Juan  Macias,  a  Dominican  lay-brother,  and 
Blessed  Martin  Porras,  a  Tertiary,  or  oblate,  of  the 
same  Order,  of  negro  descent.  The  relics  are  above  the 
altar,  beneath  which  there  is  a  recumbent  image  of 
St.  Rose. 

The  Chapel  of  St.  Catherine  of  Sienna,  mentioned 
in  the  biography  of  the  Saint,  is  said  to  have  been  on 
the  right  of  the  church,  near  the  entrance.  The  Rosary 
Chapel,  at  present  to  the  right  of  the  main  altar,  is 
much  frequented  by  the  devout  people  of  the  city. 

St.  Rose  was  born  on  April  20,  1586,  in  a  house 
which  stood  at  the  corner  of  the  present  Lima  and 
Tacna  streets,  in  a  straight  line  from  Santo  Domingo. 


Sacred  Memories  of  Lima  287 

The  site  is  now  occupied  by  the  little  church  of  St. 
Kose,  built  at  the  time  of  her  beatification;  but  a 
portion  of  the  old  building  may  still  be  seen  in  the 
sacristy.  The  main  altar  of  the  church  occupies  the 
site  of  the  room,  where  she  was  born,  and  several 
relics  of  the  Saint,  such  as  instruments  of  penance, 
are  still  preserved  in  the  church. 

To  the  rear  of  the  edifice,  stand  the  foundations, 
and  part  of  the  superstructure  of  a  new  church,  pro- 
jected in  her  honor,  but  the  building  of  which  has 
been  suspended  for  years,  owing  to  the  lack  of  funds. 
Within  this  area,  a  little  wooden  house  encloses  the 
oratory,  constructed  by  herself,  with  the  wooden  cross, 
before  which  she  was  accustomed  to  pray. 

The  parents  of  St.  Rose  were  Gaspar  Flores,  a  na- 
tive of  Porto  Rico  in  the  West  Indies,  and  Maria  de 
Oliva.  Their  parish  church  of  San  Sebastian,  not 
far  off,  was  one  of  the  oldest  in  Lima.  It  still  stands, 
but,  as  a  portion  of  the  ceiling  has  fallen  in,  Divine 
Service  is  at  present  suspended  in  it.  It  is  to  be  re- 
paired by  the  government;  but,  in  the  meantime,  the 
Chapel  of  St.  Rose  is  used  as  the  parish  church. 

It  was  in  San  Sebastian  that  St.  Rose  and  Blessed 
Martin  Porras  were  baptized,  at  a  font,  no  longer  in 
use,  but  w^hich  is  kept  as  a  relic  behind  the  barred 
door  of  the  old  baptistry.  The  registers  of  the  church, 
though  much  worn  by  time,  are  still  preserved.  The 
oldest  I  saw  is  that  containing  the  baptismal  records 
of  Blessed  Martin  and  of  St.  Rose  which  the  obliging 
Cura,  Don  Jos6  Rivero,  permitted  me  to  copy.  Both 
were  baptized  by  the  same  priest,  Antonio  Polanco, 
Martin  in  1579,  and  Rose,  whose  baptismal  name  was 
Isabel,  on  May  25,  1586.  The  present  chaplain  at  St. 
Rose's  Chapel  is  Tomas  Polanco.     This  precious  reg- 


288  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

ister  is  carefully  preserved  by  the  parish  priest  in  his 
own  house. 

There  are  other  memories  of  early  Lima  in  Santo 
Domingo,  besides  those  of  the  saints;  for  we  are  re- 
minded, among  other  things,  that  here  began  the  uni- 
versity of  St.  Mark,  the  oldest  in  America,  founded  in 
1553  by  Philip  II.  as  a  result  of  the  efforts  of  the 
Dominican,  Tomas  de  San  Martin.  The  institution, 
confirmed  by  Pope  Pius  V.,  obtained  the  title  of  '^Pon- 
tifical University,"  which  it  bears  to  the  present  day, 
though,  presumably,  there  is  not  much  of  the  Pon- 
tifical left  to  it.  Throughout  the  colonial  period,  the 
Dominicans  continued  to  occupy  posts  of  honor  in  the 
university,  which  was  located  on  the  Plaza  de  la  In- 
quisicion,  in  a  building  quite  recently  destroyed.  In 
fact,  they  were  demolishing  it,  when  I  was  in  Lima. 
The  present  building  of  St.  Mark's  university  was  the 
Jesuit  novitiate,  before  the  suppression  of  the  Order. 
The  church  of  San  Carlos,  adjoining  it,  formerly  a 
Jesuit  church,  is  now  the  university  chapel.  The 
RetaMo,  above  the  altar,  is  a  splendid  piece  of  wood 
carving. 

As  throughout  all  of  Spanish  America,  the  four 
great  Mendicant  Orders  were  prominent  in  Lima,  hav- 
ing their  churches  in  the  vicinity  of  the  cathedral. 
San  Francisco  is  a  stone's  throw  away  from  the  Plaza 
Mayor,  to  the  right  of  the  principal  church.  My  first 
visit  to  the  convent  was  a  failure,  as  the  Friars  were 
making  their  spiritual  exercises,  and  I  could  not  be 
admitted.  I  had  the  same  experience  at  the  monas- 
tery of  La  Merced,  on  the  same  afternoon.  When  the 
retreat  had  been  closed,  I  returned  to  both  convents, 
in  company  with  two  Protestant  American  gentlemen, 
and  an  Augustinian  Father. 


UNIVERSITY    OF    SAN    MARCOS,    LIMA 


Sacred  Memories  of  Lima  289 

The  Franciscan  monastery  is  interesting,  from  an 
artistic  point  of  view,  for  its  wood  carving  in  the 
choir,  and  for  some  very  fine  wooden  ceilings.  Espec- 
ially noteworthy  are  the  tiles  in  the  cloister.  Accord- 
ing to  one  of  the  old  Lima  traditions,  gathered  by 
Eicardo  Palma,  Dona  Catalina  Huanca,  an  Indian 
lady,  descendant  of  the  Caciques,  had  imported  from 
Spain,  a  very  large  number  of  tiles,  or  mosaic  stones 
which,  put  together,  were  intended  to  form  images 
of  the  saints.  They  were  a  gift  from  her  to  the  Fran- 
ciscans. Unfortunately,  no  one  could  be  found  in  Lima 
who  was  able  to  arrange  them,  and  so,  they  lay  put 
away  for  years,  until  one  morning,  in  1619,  the 
Guardian,  or  Superior  of  the  convent,  was  summoned 
to  hear  the  confession  of  a  certain  Alfonso  Godinez, 
condemned  to  die  that  very  day  for  murder.  The  re- 
sult of  their  conversation  was,  that  the  Franciscan 
discovered  the  ability  of  his  penitent  to  do  the  work 
required.  He  lost  no  time  in  imparting  the  informa- 
tion to  Don  Francisco  de  Borja  y  Aragon,  Prince  of 
Esquilache,  the  poet,  a  descendant  of  the  Jesuit,  Saint 
Francis  Borgia.  The  Prince  de  Esquilache,  then  gov- 
erning Peru  as  viceroy,  together  with  the  Auditor es, 
or  Judges,  granted  a  pardon,  on  condition,  that  the 
man  should  become  a  lay  brother  in  the  Order,  and 
never  leave  the  monastery.  Thus  did  the  convent  ob- 
tain an  expert  workman  who  not  only  arranged  the 
tiles  within  a  year,  but,  also,  made  others.  Alfonso 
Godinez  died  in  the  odor  of  sanctity,  being  one  of  the 
forty  "Venerables"  of  the  Franciscan  Order  in  Lima. 

The  Franciscans  arrived  in  Lima,  in  the  first  year 
of  its  existence,  and  obtained  a  small  plot  of  ground 
from  Pizarro.  According  to  one  of  their  chroniclers, 
they,  afterward,  applied  to  the  viceroy,  Garcia  Hurtado 
de  Mendoza,  for  an  increase  of  land  on  which  to  build. 


290  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

He  granted  them  as  much  as  they  could  enclose  in 
the  space  of  one  night.  They  at  once  planted  a  num- 
ber of  stakes,  stretched  ropes  from  one  to  the  other, 
and,  by  morning,  had  succeeded  in  roping  in  a  very 
large  piece  of  ground,  to  the  obstruction  of  a  public 
street.  The  cahildo  protested;  but  the  viceroy  kept 
his  word,  and  paid  for  the  land  out  of  his  own 
pocket. 

The  church  was  consecrated  in  1673,  and,  together 
with  the  monastery,  it  forms  a  monumental  pile.  Its 
splendid  ceilings,  of  high  workmanship,  each  corner 
being  different,  its  sixteen  fountains,  the  subterran- 
ean chapel,  the  beautiful  choir,  the  splendid  details 
of  the  church  formed  once  one  of  the  principal  glories 
of  Lima,  but  all  this  is  of  the  past,  and  San  Fran- 
cisco, today,  like  so  many  other  edifices  of  Lima,  is 
in  a  state  of  decay,  the  result  of  past  neglect,  though 
its  youthful  Friars  are  trying  hard  to  redeem  the  past, 
and  live  up  to  the  spirit  of  their  Order.  Peru  has  not 
yet,  by  any  means,  completely  recovered  from  the  de- 
cadence, intellectual  and  moral,  as  well  as  material, 
into  which  it  had  fallen.  What  else  could  have  been 
expected  from  a  country,  so  revolution-ridden?  The 
glories  of  the  past  were  forgotten,  in  the  excitement 
of  the  present,  and  everything  was  allowed  to  go  to 
ruin.  But  there  are  better  things  coming,  and  the 
spirit  of  improvement  is  in  the  air,  in  all  directions. 
There  has  been  a  supine  indifference  in  regard  to  the 
past;  though  there  are  those  who  look  back  with  a 
soul  full  of  emotion  to  the  ancient  glories  of  Lima, 
and  the  day  is  coming,  when  the  antiquities  of  the  city 
will  be  better  studied,  and  a  knowledge  of  the  treas- 
ures, buried  in  Peru,  given  to  the  world.  The  clergy 
has  declined  in  point  of  studies,  as  they  have  not  had 
an  institution  to  impart  the  necessary  knowledge,  the 


Sacred  Memories  of  Lima  291 

need  of  which  is  badly  felt.  A  considerable  propor- 
tion is  of  Indian  blood,  and  one  is  sometimes  struck, 
not  only  by  the  Indian  type  prevailing,  but,  also,  by 
the  stoical,  apparently  indifferent  air  of  the  Indian. 
Centuries  of  oppression  have,  no  doubt,  had  their 
effect. 

The  unidentified  dead  are  sleeping  in  the  crypts 
beneath  the  churches  and  monasteries,  and,  though 
a  large  number  were  eminent  men  and  women,  they  are 
hardly  remembered.  The  crypt  of  San  Francisco 
which  I  did  not  see  contains,  I  am  told,  many  remains 
of  the  unknown  dead. 

The  library  is  worth  a  visit,  for  the  many  old  books 
it  contains;  but  the  greatest  glory  of  the  monastery 
is  the  memory  of  its  Apostle,  St.  Francis  Solano,  who 
carried  his  apostolic  labors  across  the  Andes,  into 
the  territory  of  Tucuman.  The  cell  where  he  expired 
is  shown  in  that  quarter  of  the  monastery  with  its 
venerable  courtyard,  where  the  infirmary  formerly  ex- 
isted. The  head  of  the  Saint,  and  the  coffin  in  which 
his  corpse  once  rested  are  preserved  at  an  altar  in 
the  church. 

There  is  another  Franciscan  monastery  in  Lima,  be- 
longing to  the  Keformed  Friars,  known  as  Descalced. 
If  you  cross  the  bridge  that  spans  the  Kimac  river,  not 
far  from  the  railroad  station,  you  will  soon  find  your- 
self at  the  beginning  of  a  fashionable  promenade  of 
colonial  days,  still  beautiful,  but,  comparatively,  de- 
serted. This  is  the  Alameda  de  los  Descalzos.  Fol- 
low it,  past  convents  lonely  and  gloomy,  to  the  end, 
and  you  will  find  yourself  at  the  convent  of  the 
Descalzos,  beneath  the  conspicuous  hill,  surmounted 
by  a  cross,  known  as  the  Cerro  de  San  Cristobal, 
Within  these  walls  a  cell,  once  occupied  by  Solano, 
is  guarded  as  a  sacred  treasure. 


292  Lands  of  the  Southern  Gross 

It  was  a  walk  of  enduring  memory,  that  lonely  walk 
of  mine  along  the  Alameda.  I  was  returning  from 
the  Descalzos,  as  the  shades  of  evening  were  settling 
over  the  ancient  City  of  the  Kings,  when  curiosity 
led  me  to  halt  before  a  solitary  convent  for  women. 
Entering  the  vestibule,  I  caught  a  glimpse  of  a  nun, 
speaking  to  a  lady  through  the  grating,  in  the  ob- 
scure parlor,  and,  I  hastily  retreated.  On  the  steps 
before  the  edifice,  I  entered  into  conversation  with 
a  man  to  whom  I  had  spoken  on  the  Alameda  and 
who,  retracing  his  steps,  had  followed  me.  Pointing 
to  a  convent,  across  the  way,  he  told  me  that  it  fig- 
ured in  the  Tradiciones  of  Eicardo  Palma,  and  that 
he  had  a  few  copies  of  the  book  for  sale  at  a  very 
moderate  price.  I  thus  came  into  possession  of  this 
most  valuable  work  which,  in  spite  of  what  may  be 
regarded  as  some  objectionable  features,  is  of  great 
interest  to  the  student  of  the  colonial  antiquities  of 
Peru. 

Observing  my  new  acquaintance  more  attentively, 
I  noticed  that  his  appearance  was  most  poverty- 
stricken,  with  that  genteel  poverty  that  evokes  sym- 
pathy. Yet  there  was  that  in  his  face  that  spoke  of 
better  days.  His  was  a  handsome  countenance,  impos- 
sible to  describe,  as  I  saw  it  in  the  fading  light,  yet 
such  a  face  that  bespeaks  a  high  degree  of  intellec- 
tuality, and  a  noble  character  for  its  owner. 

"My  friend,"  I  said,  "you  have  not  always  been 
what  you  are  now." 

"No  sir!"  he  replied,  "I  am  a  Spaniard.  I  have 
been  in  Cuba,  and  now,  under  the  direction  of  one  of 
the  Franciscan  Fathers,  I  am  writing,  to  repair  the 
harm  done  by  earlier  writings." 

He  showed  me  the  dark  corner  in  a  vestibule,  of  a 
building  adjoining  the  church,  where,  hermit-like,  he 


Sacred  Memories  of  Lima  293 

spent  his  days  composing  his  manuscript.  Discretion 
forbade  me  to  intrude  further  upon  his  life,  but  I  have 
often  wondered  who,  and  what  he  was,  and  whether  I 
should  ever  hear  of  him  again.  Bidding  him  farewell,  I 
returned  to  the  city,  and  to  my  hotel,  where  a  cablegram 
awaited  me  that,  had  I  accepted  the  offer  it  bore, 
w^ould  have  entirely  turned  the  current  of  my  life, 
giving  me  a  commanding  position  in  the  Church,  and 
in  society,  but  separating  me  from  my  country,  and, 
perhaps,  from  my  books  forever.  You  will  now  under- 
stand, why  that  lonely  evening  walk  on  the  Alameda 
de  los  Descalzos  will  never  be  forgotten. 


Chapter  XIX. 

BUILDINGS,  ECCLESIASTICAL  AND  CIVIL,  OF 
COLONIAL  LIMA. 

The  Augustinians — La  Merced — The  Jesuits — Convent  of  the 
Sacred  Heart — The  National  Library — Old  Convents — Our 
Lady  of  Copacabana — The  Inquisition — Palace  of  the  Vice- 
roys— House  of  Pizarro — Casa  de  Pilatos — House  of  Toi- 
res-Tagle. 

The  Augustinians  are  certainly  among  the  earliest 
Orders  in  Peru.  Their  historian,  Antonio  de  la  Cal- 
ancha,  whose  ponderous  tomes  still  figure  in  our  lib- 
raries, maintains  that  they  were  the  first  to  be  author- 
ized, canonically  and  civilly,  in  the  newly  .conquered 
Land  of  the  Inca,  while  the  Franciscan  chronicler, 
Cordoba  y  Salinas,  replies,  that  the  Augustinians  have 
suflScient  solid  motives  for  glory,  without  fabricating 
groundless  ones.    It  is  not  for  me  to  settle  the  dispute. 

At  all  events,  the  Augustinians  came  to  Peru,  who- 
ever may  have  first  enjoyed  Bull  or  Royal  Decree, 
several  years  after  the  Dominicans  and  Franciscans; 
for  their  first  Fathers  did  not  arrive,  until  1551.  If 
you  ascend  to  the  fiat  roof  of  their  monastery,  you 
will  enjoy  a  complete  view  of  the  panorama  of  Lima. 
Among  the  many  churches  of  the  city,  that  of  San 
Marcelo,  a  few  squares  distant,  will  be  pointed  out 
to  you,  as  the  first  church  of  the  Augustinians  which 
they  built  near  the  houses  they  occupied,  belonging 
to  Dona  Juana  de  Cepeda.  Here  they  remained  twenty- 
two  years,  until,  in  1573,  they  took  up  their  abode  on 

294 


Buildings — Ecclesiastical^  Ciml,  of  Colomal  Lima    295 

the  present  site.  Their  old  church  of  San  Marcelo 
has  been  a  parish  church,  since  1584,  when  it  was 
made  such  by  Sto.  Toribio. 

On  July  19,  1574,  Don  Jeronimo  Loayza,  first  arch- 
bishop of  Lima,  laid  the  corner  stone  of  their  new 
church,  on  the  site  of  the  present  edifice.  By  degrees 
it  arose  to  its  actual  proportions,  the  tower  being  con- 
structed in  1637,  the  sacristy  in  1653,  the  chapter- 
house, chapel  of  the  Blessed  Sacrament,  and  the  crypt 
after  the  year  1657.  The  church  was,  from  the  seven- 
teenth century,  to  the  Iatt€fr  part  of  the  nineteenth,  in 
possession  of  a  magnificent  monstrance,  worth  about 
40,000  sols.  It  contained  1,137  precious  stones,  in 
diamonds,  rubies,  emeralds,  amethysts  and  topaz  set 
in  gold.  On  the  occasion  of  the  war  with  Chile,  the 
government  appropriated  to  itself  this  treasure,  for 
a  nominal  debt  of  about  500  sols. 

A  century  passed,  since  the  edifice  was  begun,  and 
still,  they  continue  to  add  to  and  embellish  it,  until 
the  decision  was  taken  to  reconstruct  it,  on  a  more 
magnificent  scale,  with  the  applause  of  the  people  of 
Lima,  rich  and  poor,  who  contributed  liberally.  A 
portion  of  the  church  had  been  demolished,  when  the 
earthquake  of  1687  came  to  do  the  rest.  The  monas- 
tery and  temple  were  almost  ruined,  with  a  large 
part,  about  half,  of  the  entire  city.  The  reconstruc- 
tion began  soon  after,  to  last  for  many  years,  being 
completed  about  1697.  About  fifty  years  later,  it  was 
again  ruined  by  an  earthquake,  to  be  once  more  re- 
built. 

During  the  nineteenth  century,  the  Order  in  Peru 
fell,  like  the  rest,  into  a  state  of  decadence,  until  only 
the  convent  of  Lima  remained.  Then  began  the  re- 
formation, and,  finally.  Fathers  were  brought  from 
Spain.     Today,   the  members   of  the  community   are 


296  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

mostly  Spanish,  only  two  or  three  of  the  old  genera- 
tion remaining.  In  the  meantime,  the  church  too  had 
fallen  into  decay,  and  a  portion  of  it  had  to  be  de- 
stroyed. At  the  present  moment,  they  are  rebuilding 
it,  and,  to  judge  from  its  appearance,  it  will  be  some 
time  before  it  is  completed;  but  it  will  be  one  of  the 
finest  temples  in  Lima.  Let  us  hope,  that  earthquakes 
will  be  merciful. 

The  Augustinian  Fathers  conduct  a  college  in  their 
monastery  which,  with  its  fine  old  cloisters,  is  a  ven- 
erable relic  of  the  colonial  past.  The  old  library  has 
been  scattered,  the  Chileans  who  occupied  Lima  in 
the  last  war  being  greatly  responsible.  The  soldiers 
were  quartered  in  the  monasteries,  and  they  did  not 
spare  the  books.  They  wrought,  from  all  accounts, 
incalculable  harm  to  the  libraries  of  Lima,  including 
the  Bihlioteca  Nacional. 

You  will  find  some  fine  wood  carving  in  this  mon- 
astery, and  you  must  observe  the  stalls  in  the  choir. 
One  of  the  finest  works  of  art  is  the  statue  represent- 
ing death  in  the  sacristy,  the  work  of  the  sculptor 
Gabilan,  in  black  wood. 

As  you  leave  the  church,  stand  awhile  on  the  Plaz- 
uela,  or  little  square,  and  notice  the  fagade  which 
dates  from  1720.  It  is  one  mass  of  stucco  ornamen- 
tation, in  a  style,  eminently  chirurgtoeresque. 

If  a  line  is  drawn  from  San  Augustino  to  the  Dom- 
inicans, thence  to  San  Francisco,  and  from  San  Fran- 
cisco by  La  Merced  back  to  the  Augustinian  s,  you 
will,  almost,  have  a  square,  or,  truly,  an  irregular 
parallelogram,  with  the  cathedral  between  San  Fran- 
cisco and  La  Merced.  In  this  last  church,  belonging 
to  the  Order  of  Mercy  for  the  Redemption  of  Captives, 
there  are  two  finely  carved  wooden  altars.  In  one 
of  the  cloisters,  a  chapel  is  shown  in  which,  accord- 


Buildings — Ecclesiastical,  Civil,  of  Colonial  Lima    297 

ing  to  tradition,  the  first  Mass  in  Lima  was  celebra- 
ted. Here,  also,  is  preserved  an  old  crucifix  said  to 
have  been  brought  by  the  early  conquerors.  Several 
persons  who  died  in  the  odor  of  sanctity  have  found 
their  last  resting  place  in  this  monastery. 

The  Jesuits  were,  at  one  time,  quite  powerful  and 
influential  in  Peru,  with  a  number  of  very  eminent 
men  whose  biographies  have  been  collected  by  the  Peru- 
vian writer,  Torres  Saldamando.  The  mestizo,  Bias 
Valera,  a  Jesuit,  wrote  the  history  of  Peru,  but,  un- 
fortunately, his  work  was  never  published,  though 
Garcilaso  Inca  de  la  Vega,  and,  probably,  other  wri- 
ters, made  use  of  his  manuscripts  which  have  been 
lost.  The  history  of  the  Society  in  Peru  was  written 
early  in  the  seventeenth  century  by  Father  Anello 
Oliva,  one  of  whose  manuscripts  is  now  in  the  Biblio- 
teca  Nacional  of  Lima.  Probably  the  most  prominent 
Jesuit  writer  was  Father  Jos^  de  Acosta,  whose  ''His- 
tory of  the  Indies"  is  monumental.  It  was,  also,  in 
Lima  that  the  popular  devotion  known  as  the  "Three 
Hours'  Agony"  was  first  established  by  Father  Messia. 

The  old  church  of  San  Pedro  was  the  foremost 
Jesuit  church,  although  the  Order  possessed  several 
other  churches  in  Lima,  such  as  that  now  belonging 
to  St.  Mark's  university,  and  the  church  at  the  rear 
of  the  government  building  which  they  established  in 
the  shadow  of  the  vice-regal  palace. 

San  Pedro  was  built  from  1623  to  1638,  and,  within 
its  vaults,  many  of  the  old  Jesuits  must  be  buried. 
The  Order  lost  it  at  the  time  of  the  suppression,  and 
it  now  belongs  to  the  government,  though  the  Jesuits 
who  are  merely  tolerated  in  Peru,  have  charge  of  it, 
one  of  their  number  acting  as  the  official  chaplain, 
with  a  salary  of  about  |10.00  a  month. 


298  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

The  church  was  restored  in  1896  and  1897  by  the 
Junta  Departamental,  and  the  Sociedad  de  Bene  fie- 
encia.  It  seems  to  be  the  most  popular,  and  the  most 
frequented  church  in  Lima,  with  large  congregations, 
even  on  week  days. 

The  old  Jesuit  house  and  college,  the  buildings  of 
which  still  exist,  were  immense,  covering  a  very  large 
square.  Today  the  school  and  convent  of  the  Ladies 
of  the  Sacred  Heart,  the  National  Library,  and  the 
convent  of  the  Good  Shepherd  are  all  within  the  area. 
The  portion  of  the  edifice  facing  on  the  Plazuela,  or 
square,  comprises  the  church,  and  the  convent  of  the 
Sacred  Heart,  while  the  other  part.  In  the  rear,  is 
divided  between  the  library,  and  the  convent  of  the 
Good  Shepherd. 

The  convent  of  the  Sacred  Heart,  with  its  beauti- 
ful patios,  was  the  residence  of  the  Jesuits.  The  nuns 
conduct  here  a  school  for  young  ladies,  and  a  normal 
school,  for  the  training  of  teachers.  The  government 
supports  the  normal  school,  but  the  pupils,  educated 
at  the  public  expense,  must  give  their  service,  after 
graduation,  to  the  state. 

The  National  Library  and,  probably,  the  convent 
of  the  Good  Shepherd  occupy  the  college,  which  was 
known  as  the  college  of  the  Prince,  as  it  was  founded 
for  the  sons  of  Indian  Caciques^  by  the  viceroy,  Prince 
of  Esquilache,  Don  Francisco  de  Borja,  who  figures 
as  one  of  the  foremost  poets  of  the  literature  of  Spain, 
in  its  golden  age. 

The  nucleus  of  the  present  Biblioteca  Nacional  was 
formed  from  the  old  library  of  the  Jesuits,  the  present 
library  being  one  of  the  earliest  foundations  in  the 
city  due  to  General  San  Martin.  It  was  created  by 
a  decree  of  August  21,  1821,  in  some  of  the  halls  of 
the  old  college,  with  about  11,000  volumes,  the  number 


Buildings — Ecclesiastical,  Civil,  of  Colonial  Lima    299 

increasing  to  about  40,000  by  1881,  when  Lima  was 
occupied  by  the  Chileans,  who  carried  off  many  of  the 
books,  and  sold  others.  The  library  was  reorganized 
by  the  persevering  energy  of  the  present  librarian, 
Don  Ricardo  Palma,  who  began  by  purchasing  many 
of  the  old  books,  until  he  has  now  some  50,000  vol- 
umes on  the  shelves,  besides  a  valuable  department  of 
manuscripts.  His  position  of  librarian  has  greatly 
facilitated  the  labors  of  Palma,  affording  him  many 
opportunities  to  delve  into  the  colonial  antiquities  of 
his  country.  The  venerable  librarian,  now  nearly 
eighty  years  old,  is  still  at  his  desk  at  the  office. 
Such  is  the  respect  in  which  he  is  held,  that  the  oc- 
cupants of  the  reading  rooms  arise,  when  he  enters. 
At  least  I  infer  that  this  is  the  custom,  as  I  observed 
it,  when  he  did  me  the  honor  of  conducting  me  through 
the  institution  of  which  he  is  the  director. 

Besides  the  important  churches  and  monasteries  to 
which  I  have  alluded,  Lima  is  in  possession  of  a  vast 
number  of  other  churches  and  convents,  nearly  all  of 
which  are  old,  and  dating  from  the  colonial  epoch. 
Even  some  of  the  modern  congregations  have  assumed 
the  direction  of  old  churches,  and  monastic  buildings, 
instead  of  building  new  ones.  Thus  the  Fathers  of 
the  French  Congregation,  known  as  "Picpus,"  from 
the  street  in  Paris  where  it  was  founded,  inhabit  at 
present  the  old  monastery  of  the  Dominican  Eeform, 
known  as  the  "Recolleccion,"  which  has  disappeared 
from  Lima.  The  Redemptorists  are  located  across  the 
Rimac,  at  an  old  church,  and  in  an  old  convent  of 
the  "Minims." 

There  are  about  fourteen  convents  of  cloistered 
nuns  in  this  small  population.  The  contemplative  life 
has  flourished  greatly  in  Spain  where  the  character 
of  the  people,  extreme  always,  when  it  leans  to  relig- 


300  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

ion,  is  of  a  mystic  tendency,  perhaps  more  contempla- 
tive, than  active.  The  old  Lima  convents  come  to  us 
from  the  days,  when  the  noblest  daughters  of  the  con- 
quistadores,  in  their  innocence,  buried  themselves 
behind  gloomy  walls,  for  the  love  of  higher  things, 
or  fled  from  a  world  with  which  they  were  disgusted, 
or  in  which  they  had  taken  some  false  step.  If  the 
old  legends  and  stories  are  true,  more  than  one  trag- 
edy was  enacted,  or  repented  of,  behind  the  window- 
less  walls  of  Lima's  convents. 

The  oldest  convent  of  nuns  in  Lima  was  founded 
by  the  widow  of  Hernandez  Giron,  one  of  the  early 
rebels  who,  after  Gonzalo  Pizarro,  raised  the  standard 
of  revolt  against  the  royal  authority.  This  lady  was 
Dofia  Mencia  de  Sosa  who,  with  her  mother.  Dona 
Leonor  Portocarrero,  on  March  25,  1558,  laid  the 
foundations  of  the  Augustinian  convent  of  the  Enca/r- 
nacion.  Any  one  in  Lima  will  point  out  to  you  the 
Encarnacion.  It  was  here,  that  St.  Toribio  conse- 
crated Don  Alfonso  Fernandez  de  Bonilla  archbishop 
of  Mexico,  and  the  occasion  was  rendered  memorable 
by  the  miraculous  resuscitation  of  an  infant,  that  had 
been  suffocated  in  the  immense  crowd  that  filled  the 
church. 

It  was  in  this  convent  of  Augustinian  nuns  that, 
at  one  time,  St.  Rose  of  Lima  wished  to  assume  the 
habit.  My  interest  in  the  antiquities  of  Lima  took 
me,  naturally,  to  this  convent,  but  I  found  no  bell, 
nor  any  means  of  communicating  with  the  interior. 
A  boy  was  pouring  milk  into  cans,  at  an  open  door, 
through  which  I  caught  a  glimpse  of  a  white-clad 
nun.  The  boy,  seeing  that  I  wished  to  speak  to  some 
one,  called  to  the  "Madrecita,"  the  "Little  Mother." 
Everything  is  little  in  Lima;  for  diminutives  are  in 
great  vogue.     I  had  little  to  say  to  the  "Madrecita/^ 


Buildings — Ecclesiastical,  Civil,  of  Colonial  Lima    301 

though  I  spoke  to  her  through  the  "turn"  which  is 
a  revolving  case  by  which  objects  are  passed  into  the 
convent.  She  knew  that  her  monastery  was  very  old, 
and  that  the  memory  of  St.  Kose  was  attached  to  it. 

Santa  Clara,  the  "Concepcion,"  the  convent  of  Trin- 
itarian nuns,  and  others,  carry  you  back  to  the  old 
vice-royal  days.  The  Carmelite  monastery  is  about 
two  hundred  and  fifty  years  old.  The  sister  who 
spoke  to  me  through  the  "turn"  possessed  a  delightful 
and  refined  voice;  but  I  cannot  say  the  same  of  the 
"Madre"  who  saw  me  behind  the  grating  in  the  little 
parlor. 

The  convent  of  Nazarene  nuns  was  founded  some 
time  in  the  eighteenth  century  by  some  holy  soul. 
This  order  is  of  Peruvian  origin. 

Invariably,  a  gloomy  vestibule,  open  to  the  street, 
is  the  only  part  of  the  convent  you  can  enter,  unless 
you  succeed  in  communicating  with  the  interior,  if 
you  can  find  a  bell,  or  by  knocking,  when  you  may 
be  admitted  to  the  parlor.  Generally  a  spiritual  text 
is  painted  in  large  letters  on  the  wall. 

A  very  interesting  and  historical  chapel  beyond  the 
Eimac  is  that  of  Our  Lady  of  Copacabana.  Copaca- 
bana  is  the  national  shrine  of  Peru  and  Bolivia,  situ- 
ated on  the  shores  of  Lake  Titicaca.  The  image  here 
preserved,  dedicated  to  Our  Lady  of  Copacabana,  was 
venerated  in  the  days  of  St.  Toribio,  in  a  hermitage 
located  in  the  vicinity  of  Lima,  in  a  place  designated 
as  Cercado,  inhabited  by  Indians,  whence  it  was 
brought  by  St.  Toribio  to  the  cathedral.  It  was  be- 
fore this  image  that  the  holy  archbishop  was  wont  to 
say  his  daily  Mass.  After  his  death,  the  present  chapel 
in  the  Itarrio  de  San  Lazaro  was  built,  and  here  the 
image  is  preserved  today. 


302  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

If  you  ever  visit  Lima,  one  of  the  squares  to  which 
you  will  sooner  or  later,  drift,  is  the  Plaza  of  the 
Inquisition,  now  the  Plaza  of  Bolivar,  called  thus 
from  a  statue  of  the  liberator  in  the  centre. 

The  Spanish  Inquisition  was  introduced  into  Peru 
in  1570,  and  it  continued  in  operation,  until  the  early 
part  of  the  nineteenth  century.  The  tribunal  was  first 
established  opposite  the  church  of  La  Merced,  and  it 
afterward  moved  to  its  later  site,  on  the  Plaza  de  la 
Inquisicion,  where  the  prisons  were,  also,  built,  and 
where  the  senate  building  now  stands.  The  first  auto 
de  fe  was  celebrated  in  1573  on  the  Plaza  Mayor, 
where  is  was,  afterward,  generally  held,  though  the 
executions  seem,  also,  to  have  taken  place  in  the  out- 
skirts of  the  city,  near  where  the  bull  ring  stands 
today. 

Before  we  bid  farewell  to  colonial  Lima,  we  must 
not  omit  by  any  means,  a  visit  to  the  government 
palace  on  the  Plaza  Mayor,  forming  a  rectangle  with 
the  old  archiepiscopal  palace,  next  to  the  cathedral. 
This  was,  in  colonial  days,  the  old  palace  of  the  vice- 
roys, and,  before  them,  of  Pizarro,  where  he  was  as- 
sassinated. Before  the  palace  was  completed,  Pizarro 
occupied  a  house,  opposite  the  side  entrance  to  the 
church  of  La  Merced,  and  near  the  present  Hotel  de 
Europa.  Here  the  conqueror  of  Atahualpa  lived,  until 
1538,  when  he  moved  into  the  palace.  This  house 
existed  until  1846,  almost  as  Pizarro  left  it.  It  was 
occupied  until  1550  by  his  daughter.  Dona  Francisca, 
and  her  mother,  the  Princess  Dona  Ines,  a  descendant 
of  the  Inca  Huayna-Capac. 

In  the  palace  itself,  a  little  square  block  of  marble 
near  the  side  entrance,  at  the  foot  of  the  staircase, 
marks  the  traditional  spot,  where  Pizarro  fell,  kiss- 
ing the  sign  of  the  cross  which  he  traced  with  his  own 
blood  on  the  pavement. 


SENATE^  LIMA 


Buildings — Ecclesiastical,  Civil,  of  Colonial  Lima    303 

The  palace  has  been  entirely  changed  to  meet  the 
exigencies  of  the  times,  but  the  solid  substructures, 
with  their  dungeon-like  cells  are,  probably,  as  they 
were  in  the  days  of  the  last  viceroy.  Especially  in- 
teresting is  the  old  vice-royal  chapel,  in  which  the 
archives  are,  at  present,  kept.  Its  architectural  feat- 
ures are  still  preserved,  and,  at  the  rear,  a  finely  carved 
tribune  reminds  you  of  the  times  gone  by,  when  the 
viceroy  and  his  family  would  come  out  of  the  palace, 
to  assist  at  Divine  Service. 

The  president  has  his  office  in  this  building,  and 
here  are  the  large  reception  halls  in  which  the  for- 
eign ministers  are  received.  In  the  last  revolution, 
the  rebels  against  the  government  broke  into  the  pal- 
ace, captured  the  president,  and  paraded  him  through 
the  streets,  until  he  was  fortunately  rescued  by  the 
loyal  army.  The  palace  suffered  greatly,  and  the 
marks  of  balls  are  still  visible  in  the  antechamber  of 
the  president's  office. 

The  inhabitants  of  Lima  tell  sad  stories  of  the 
bloody  scenes  enacted  during  times  of  revolution, 
when  every  vantage  ground  is  occupied  by  the  com- 
batants, even  to  the  roofs  of  churches,  and  the  court- 
yards of  convents. 

In  1535,  the  year  of  the  foundation  of  Lima,  thirty- 
six  houses  were  built,  the  site  of  the  new  city  having 
been  parcelled  out  among  its  first  inhabitants,  Pizarro 
choosing  one  of  the  least  desirable  for  himself.  Among 
these  lots,  that  of  Geronimo  de  Alliaga  was  situated 
opposite  the  cathedral.  It  still  belongs  to  the  family 
of  Alliaga,  one  of  the  surviving  families  of  the  original 
conquistadores,  if  not  the  only  one. 

In  your  wanderings  through  Lima,  if  you  are  for- 
tunate enough  to  be  accompanied  by  a  guide,  suffi- 
ciently acquainted  with  the  antiquities  of  the  city,  a 


304  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

quaint  house,  unlike  the  rest,  situated  near  San  Fran- 
cisco, will  be  pointed  out  to  you,  as  the  Casa  de 
Pilatos,  It  was  built  in  1590,  on  plans  drawn  by  the 
superior  of  the  Jesuits,  Father  Ruiz  del  Portillo,  for  a 
certain  Esquivel,  proprietor  of  the  plot  of  ground. 
The  house  has  stood  the  ravages  of  all  the  earth- 
quakes to  which  the  city  has  been  subject,  and  it  is, 
consequently,  among  the  oldest.  Until  1635,  it  served 
the  purpose  of  a  hotel,  remaining  in  possession  of 
the  descendants  of  Esquivel,  to  the  time  of  the  Inde- 
pendence. It  is  related,  that  in  1635,  one  of  its  halls 
served  as  conventicle  for  a  number  of  Portuguese 
Jews  who  met  under  the  leadership  of  Manuel  Bau- 
tista  Perez,  and,  among  other  things,  made  it  a  point 
to  insult  a  crucifix,  Perez  witnessing  the  blows  like 
Pilate.  The  meeting  was  accidentally  discovered,  and 
reported  to  the  Inquisition  that,  at  once,  preceeded 
to  mete  out  punishment.  Perez  and  several  of  his 
companions  passed  through  the  auto  de  je  of  1639, 
the  inhabitants  of  Lima  named  him  Pilate,  and,  since 
then,  the  house  has  been  known  as  Casa  de  Pilatos.^ 

Another  colonial  dwelling  worthy  of  note  for  its 
architectural  features  is  that  of  Torres-Tagle,  in  the 
Calle  San  Pedro.  The  noble  family  of  Torres-Tagle 
must  have  become  republican,  if  one  of  its  members 
acted  as  president  of  Peru  in  its  early  days.  A  de- 
scendant of  the  family,  Senor  Ortis  Zeballos,  occupies 
the  house  today. 

The  building,  well  known  in  Lima,  cannot  fail  to 
draw  your  attention.  You  see,  at  once,  that  it  is  out 
of  the  ordinary.  The  universal  latticed  balcony  is 
there,  overhanging  the  street,  sustained  by  beautifully 
carved  supports.    The  lower  portion  of  the  building  is 


1  Ricardo  Palma.    Tradiciones,  Serie  I.  p.  39. 


TORRE   TAGLE    MANSION^   LIMA 


Buildings— Ecclesiastical,  Civil,  of  Colonial  Lima    305 

employed  for  business  purposes,  and  a  great  deal  of 
poetry  melted  away,  when  I  read  through  the  gate  in 
big  letters  opposite  me,  Juan  V  Peral  e  Hi  jo  (Juan 
V.  Peral  and  Son).  This  emboldened  me  to  enter,  as 
it  seemed  to  do  away  with  the  privacy  of  the  patio, 
and  I  felt  that  I  might  walk  in  without  intrusion. 
For  a  long  time,  I  stood  in  the  courtyard,  examining 
the  details,  and  weaving  romances.  The  sun,  that 
morning,  was  unusually  bright  for  Lima,  and  I  seemed 
to  be  in  the  courtyard  of  an  old  Florentine  palace, 
rather  than  in  far-off  Peru,  until  I  noticed  the  Indian 
heads  carved  on  the  wooden  supports  of  the  gallery 
around  the  patio.  This  brought  me  back  to  the  Land 
of  the  Inca.  A  magnificent  flight  of  stairs  leads  to 
the  gallery  which  is  ornamented  with  tiles.  The  whole 
courtyard  gives  the  impression  of  a  splendid  piece  of 
work.  Another  patio  in  the  rear  serves,  no  doubt,  for 
servants  and  domestic  purposes.  The  family  occupies 
the  upper  portion  of  the  house,  the  salons  being  situ- 
ated on  the  street,  and  along  the  patio  on  the  sides. 
A  domestic  chapel,  with  carved  wooden  altar,  is  at  the 
rear.  It  was  my  good  fortune  to  be  taken  through 
a  portion  of  the  dwelling  by  Senor  Ortis-Zeballos  him- 
self, to  whom  I  was  kindly  introduced  by  Lieut.  Cor- 
dier,  military  attache  of  the  United  States  Legation. 
The  salons  contain  paintings  of  ancestors,  and  heir- 
looms of  the  family.  Sefior  Ortis-Zeballos  possesses,, 
elsewhere,  a  collection  of  paintings  which  is  highly 
spoken  of. 

Besides  these  to  which  I  have  referred,  Lima  is  in 
possession  of  many  colonial  residences  in  different 
parts  of  the  city.  In  fact  a  number  of  business  places 
appear  to  have  been  old  mansions. 


Chapter  XX. 
MODERN  LIMA. 

The  Change — Balconies — Women  of  Lima — Society — Hotels — 
Street  Cars— Morning— The  Bullfight— Trade— The  Post- 
office  — Policemen — Beggars — Lottery  Tickets — Houses — 
National  Museum  —  Population  —  Environs  —  Cemeteries — 
Dead  City  of  Cajamarquilla. 

Lima  has  been  less  modernized  than  most  capitals 
of  Latin  America,  though  it  has  been  rebuilt  time  and 
again,  owing « to  the  destruction  wrought  by  earth- 
quakes. But  the  hand  of  change  is  upon  it  at  last, 
and  the  old  colonial  Lima  is  slowly,  but  surely,  pass- 
ing away.  That  characteristic  feature  of  the  city's 
architecture,  the  picturesque  balcony,  is  doomed,  un- 
less a  change  in  sentiment  occur.  The  old  balconies 
will  long  continue,  as  long,  probably,  as  the  houses  to 
which  they  are  an  adjunct,  but  no  new  ones  may  be 
constructed.  The  box-like,  latticed  balcony,  in  which 
the  occupants  of  the  houses  may  so  easily  hide,  see, 
and  not  be  seen,  is  the  one  pronounced  feature  of  Lima 
architecture.  Here  the  Senorita  may  still  sit  enscon- 
ced, unseen  by  the  numerous  pedestrians,  passing  to 
and  fro,  but  the  old  romantic  days  of  the  balcony  have 
gone  forever,  days  and  nights  that  were  not  always 
iree  from  tragedy. 

The  time  has  passed,  also,  when  the  Limena,  veiled 
like  Oriental  women,  with  one  eye  visible,  would  glide 
through  the  streets,  like  some  mysterious  visitor  from 
another  world.     The  women  of  Lima  are  no  longer 

306 


Modern  Lima  307 

held  in  the  same  restraint  as  formerly,  though  there 
is  far  less  freedom,  than  in  Teutonic,  or  Anglo-Saxon 
countries.  Yet,  to  meet  them  in  the  streets,  one  sees 
hardly  any  difference.  Ladies  dress  a  la  PaHsienne, 
with  the  latest  styles  of  hats,  although  in  church  the 
mantilla,  not  the  manto  as  in  Chile,  is  worn.  The 
mantilla  is,  also,  very  common  in  the  streets;  though 
the  women  of  the  lower  classes  wear  a  head  and 
shoulder  covering,  not  unlike  the  Chilean  manto. 

Society  in  Lima  possesses  an  air  of  marked  re^ne- 
ment;  for  the  traditions  of  the  vice-regal  court,  the 
most  splendid  court  of  the  New  World,  still  live,  nor 
has  commercialism  succeeded  in  extinguishing  the 
poetry  of  the  past. 

In  the  hotels,  as  in  Chile,  the  work,  even  such  as 
with  us  is  performed  by  chambermaids,  is  done  by 
men,  men  of  the  people,  with  the  Indian  type  quite 
pronounced.  These  men  do  their  work  well.  More 
than  one  descendant  of  the  old  Inca  race,  with  noble 
blood  in  his  veins,  is,  perhaps,  now  serving  the  invad- 
ers of  his  country.  In  Lima,  no  women  conductors  are 
to  be  seen  on  the  street  cars,  as  they  are  in  Chile. 
The  cars,  as  in  our  country  in  summer,  are  open,  and 
constructed  on  the  American  pattern.  Open  cars  can 
be  run  in  Lima,  with  its  mild  climate,  all  the  year 
round.  As  I  write  these  things,  I  seem  to  be  in  Lima 
again,  and  the  scene  becomes  more  vivid,  as  I  read 
in  my  notes :  "It  has  been  drizzling  all  evening.  This 
is  the  only  rain  they  have  here."  On  another  occa- 
sion I  wrote:  "The  sun  is  shining  with  a  mellow 
light,  but  there  is  a  coolness  in  the  atmosphere,  like  a 
day  in  early  fall  with  us."  The  sun  was  so  seldom 
seen  within  the  walls  of  Peru's  capital,  that  we  always 
welcomed  it  with  delight. 


308  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

Morning  in  Lima  is  like  morning  everywhere  else, 
without  the  twilight  of  the  temperate  zone.  Ladies 
are  going  to  church,  until  a  late  hour,  wearing  the 
graceful  mantilla,  Chinese  vendors  are  dragging  them- 
selves along  with  that  gait  peculiar  to  the  celestial, 
their  wares  hanging  from  a  yoke  on  the  shoulder,  In- 
dians and  mestizos  are  coming  in  on  their  horses  and 
burros,  from  the  country,  to  sell  their  produce,  the 
women,  wrapped  in  large,  multi-colored  mantles,  with 
wide  panama  hats.  Thus  begins  the  quiet  life  of  the 
day,  for  the  average  life  in  Lima  is  quiet,  excitement 
being  reserved  for  Fiestas  with  their  processions,  and 
for  periods  of  revolution.  Amusement  is  afforded  by 
the  theatre,  and  by  the  bullfight  which  still  flourishes. 
The  latter  has  always  been  dear  to  the  people  of  Lima, 
and,  in  early  colonial  days,  it  was  held  in  the  Plaza 
Mayor,  the  first  taking  place  in  1538. 

In  1768,  the  bullring  of  the  Acho  was  constructed, 
which  is  capable  of  containing  10,000  spectators;  but, 
on  special  occasions,  such  as  the  accession  of  a  new  king 
to  the  throne,  or  the  arrival  of  a  viceroy,  the  bull- 
fight continued  to  be  exhibited  on  the  Plaza,  until 
1816.  In  some  other  countries  of  South  America,  like 
Argentina,  this  amusement  is  no  longer  permitted. 

There  are  four  markets  in  Lima,  that  of  ^'Concep- 
cion"  being  one  of  the  finest  in  South  America.  It 
occupies  the  upper  and  lower  stories  of  a  large  edifice, 
surrounded  by  four  streets. 

A  considerable  amount  of  the  trade  of  Lima  is  in 
the  hands  of  foreigners,  English,  German,  American, 
or  French,  with  a  variety  of  small  shops,  kept  by  Chi- 
nese. I  cannot  enter  into  details,  as  my  interest  in 
South  America  lay,  principally,  in  the  historical  and 
literary  features  of  the  different  countries,  the  rest 
being  merely  incidental.    From  time  to  time,  however, 


Modern  Lima  309 

my  attention  was  arrested  by  some  special  feature 
that  forced  itself  upon  me.  One  of  these  was  quite 
amusing.  Plumbing  and  gasfitting  forms,  in  Lima, 
as  elsewhere,  one  of  the  branches  of  modern  industry. 
Indeed  it  must  be  quite  modern,  if  the  signs  used  by 
these  mechanics,  borrowed  from  our  language,  are, 
in  any  way,  an  index.  I  noticed,  for  instance,  a  sign, 
thoroughly  English,  or  American,  but  with  Spanish 
ending  to  the  words.  It  read:  Plomeria  y  Gasflteria! 
Evidently  our  influence  was  quite  marked. 

One  of  the  practical  things  you  will  look  for  in 
Lima  is  the  postoffice.  The  building  consists  of  a 
quadrangle,  around  a  patio,  to  which  you  enter 
through  a  spacious  doorway,  and  a  vestibule.  The 
closing  of  the  mails  is  announced  on  bulletin  boards. 
To  send  letters  home,  you  have  to  await  your  oppor- 
tunity by  the  steamers  leaving  at  intervals.  Unfortu- 
nately their  dates  appear  to  coincide  too  much.  The 
postal  service  in  Peru,  in  spite  of  the  many  difficul- 
ties encountered,  is  said  to  be  very  efficient,  and  the 
postoffice  department  is  conducted  upon  a  paying  basis. 
For  letters  not  weighing  more  than  fifteen  grams,  you 
pay  five  cents  silver,  to  any  part  of  the  Kepublic,  while 
for  those  circulating  within  the  capital  you  pay  only 
one  cent.  For  foreign  countries,  letters  of  the  same 
weight  cost  ten  cents,  and  postal  cards  three  cents. 

Telegraph  and  cable  service  is  very  satisfactory, 
while  the  telephone  is  to  be  found  in  every  place  I 
have  visited  in  South  America,  and  I  presume,  that  it 
is  universal. 

Policemen  are  scattered  all  over  the  city,  and,  if 
you  don't  see  them,  you  hear  them,  for  at  intervals, 
every  policeman  must  whistle,  to  announce  that  he  is 
at  his  post,  and,  at  night,  if  you  lie  awake,  every 
now  and  then  these  shrill  calls,  from  various  quarters, 


310  Lands  of  tJie  Southern  Cross 

will  inform  you  that  the  watchmen  of  the  city  are 
keeping  guard  over  the  public  safety. 

One  night  I  was  awakened  by  loud  voices  beneath 
my  window.  There  was  evidently  an  altercation  of 
some  kind  in  progress,  the  language  used  was  English, 
with  an  American  accent,  but  not  of  the  kind  that 
would  be  permitted  in  a  drawingroom.  I  imagine  that 
my  fellow  countrymen  had  been  indulging  a  little  too 
freely  in  some  beverage,  less  obnoxious  than  water, 
and  that  this  was  the  outcome.  A  policeman,  on  the 
other  side  of  the  street,  was  silently  taking  in  the  sit- 
uation, until  one  of  the  parties  appealed  to  him,  when 
he  threatened  them  with  the  calaboso,  the  ''lock  up," 
if  they  did  not  move  on.  This  seemed  to  have  the 
desired  effect,  for  the  voices  soon  sank  down  into  the 
silence  of  night,  and  the  Plaza  Mayor  into  its  wonted 
tranquility. 

Although  the  resources  of  Peru  are  immense,  and 
its  possibilities  unlimited,  the  country  has  been  im- 
poverished by  war.  I  saw  more  beggary  in  Lima,  than 
anywhere  else  in  South  America,  except,  perhaps,  in 
Rio  de  Janeiro,  and  there  only  at  the  church  doors. 
It  was  not  the  formal  beggary  of  Spain,  nor  the  im- 
portunate mendicity  of  Italy,  but  rather  the  beggary 
one  often  encounters  in  our  American  cities,  with 
tales  of  woe,  of  a  sick  child  at  home,  and  so  on.  Sat- 
urday is  the  day  for  general  almsgiving,  and  a  con- 
siderable number  of  beggars  are  to  be  seen  asking  alms 
at  the  places  of  business,  an  astonishing  number  being 
blind. 

The  selling  of  lottery  tickets  is  carried  on  to  an 
enormous  extent,  which  is  absolutely  annoying  to  a 
foreigner.  At  every  step  you  take,  you  are  accosted 
by  some  one  offering  you  a  chance  at  the  lottery. 
Old  men  and  women,  as  well  as  children  of  the  tender- 


POLICEMEN,    LIMA 


Modern  Lima  311 

est  age,  are  engaged  in  this  traffic.  At  the  entrance 
to  a  convent  church,  I  noticed  a  boy  dropping  his 
coin  into  the  box,  and  then  turning  to  offer  me  a 
ticket.  The  lottery  belongs  to  the  Beneficencia,  an 
institution  that  looks  after  the  poor,  the  proceeds  be- 
ing devoted  to  the  support  of  charitable  institutions, 
of  which  the  Beneficencia  supports  many.  These  are, 
principally,  the  Second  of  May  Hospital  for  men,  ac- 
commodating 1,000  patients,  and  quite  modern,  tlie 
Santa  Ana  Hospital  for  women,  founded  in  1549  by 
the  first  archbishop  of  Lima,  the  Military  Hospital, 
two  orphan  asylums,  and  the  hospital  for  the  insane. 
The  Beneficencia,  the  revenues  of  which  amount  to 
nearly  a  million  dollars  a  year,  is  one  of  the  many 
benevolent  societies  which,  in  Latin  America,  may  be 
traced  back  to  Spanish  times. 

The  poorer  classes  here,  as  in  Argentina  and  Chile, 
are  to  be  found  in  conventillos.  I  noticed  a  long  one 
with  the  inscription,  Casa  de  la  Esperanza — House  of 
Hope. 

There  are  quite  a  number  of  Casas  de  Ejercicios,  or 
houses  for  spiritual  exercises,  in  which  yearly  retreats 
are  preached,  those  for  women  being  occupied  the  rest 
of  the  year  by  aged  females. 

In  my  wanderings,  I  observed  a  house  for  rent,  and 
curiosity  led  me  to  enter  the  patio,  my  interest  being 
especially  awakened  by  two  statues,  one  of  Washing- 
ton, and  the  other  of  Franklin — a  bit  of  the  United 
States,  as  it  were,  dropped  into  antiquity. 

A  very  fine  modern  residence  is  the  one  occupied 
at  this  time  by  the  United  States  Minister,  Mr.  Combes. 
It  is  situated  in  a  beautiful  park,  known  as  the  Quinta 
Hearen,  from  the  name  of  the  gentleman,  a  foreigner, 
to  whom  Lima  is  indebted  for  this  adjunct  to  her 
beauty,  natural  and  artificial. 


312  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

One  evening  in  Lima,  one  of  those  dark  and  quiet 
evenings,  like  most  evenings  that  I  witnessed,  I  was 
wandering  through  the  streets,  seeking  the  house  of 
a  literary  man  with  whom  I  had  been  in  correspond- 
ence. I  believed  that  I  had  found  it  at  last.  It  was 
a  large  colonial  dwelling,  with  spacious  courtyard, 
and  galleries  around,  such  a  house  as  may  have  fig- 
ured in  many  an  old  tale  of  chivalry,  romance,  and  ad- 
venture. All  was  dark,  and  silent  as  the  tomb.  I 
was  reminded  of  a  quiet  old  Neapolitan  palazzo,  into 
which,  years  ago,  I  found  my  way,  led  by  historic  cur- 
iosity ;  but  without  gaining  much  information.  At  the 
house  in  Lima,  after  some  investigation  as  to  the  best 
means  to  announce  my  presence,  I  succeeded,  how  1 
do  not  recall,  in  drawing  the  attention  of  a  criada, 
or  female  servant.  I  elicited  the  information,  that  she 
knew  nothing  of  my  friend,  but  she  would  go  up  and 
ask  the  Senora.  In  the  meantime,  I  was  left  stand- 
ing in  the  patio.  A  few  minutes  elapsed,  and  a  door 
opened.  The  hand  that  opened  it  had  not  descended 
by  the  fine  staircase  in  the  patio,  but  t)y  some  other 
avenue,  belonging  to  the  domestic  mysteries  of  the 
place.  The  ending  of  my  story  is  quite  plain,  and  mat- 
ter of  fact.  When  the  door  opened,  it  was  held  ajar, 
and  a  lady  whose  features  were  hardly  discernible 
in  the  uncertain  light,  clad  somewhat  in  neglige,  stood 
there.  Of  course  I  addressed  her  in  Spanish;  but,  to 
my  surprise,  she  replied  in  very  good  English,  with  the 
soft  Castilian  accent  of  the  Limena.  English,  I  must 
here  remark,  is  generally  spoken  by  the  educated 
classes  in  Lima.  There  must  have  been  something  of 
the  Yankee  either  in  my  accent,  or  my  manner;  but 
the  fact  is  that  the  Senora  had  quickly  detected  in 
me  the  foreigner.  To  my  disappointment,  I  learned, 
that  my  host  had  once  lived  in  the  house,  but  that 


Modern  Lima  313 

he  had  moved.  Here  then,  another  romance  was  shat- 
tered. Instead  of  the  ancestral  halls  of  some  family 
of  the  conquistadores,  I  had  run  across  a  twentieth 
century  menage  in  a  rented  house.  Yet  the  mansion, 
elegant  enough,  could  it  speak,  might  possibly  relate 
many  a  tale  of  the  past. 

As  my  quest,  this  evening,  has  resufted  in  nothing, 
we  return  to  the  Plaza  Mayor  where  the  grey  out- 
lines of  the  cathedral  arise  in  the  blackness  of  the 
night.  Ere  we  proceed  homeward,  we  may  take  a  turn 
or  two  around  the  square.  I  forgot  to  mention,  that 
two  sides,  forming  a  rectangle,  are  arcaded,  with 
stores  along  the  walks.  Thus  one  side  of  the  Plaza 
is  occupied  by  the  cathedral,  with  the  ruined  archi- 
episcopal  palace.  Forming  a  rectangle  with  these, 
stands  the  government,  formerly  vice-regal,palace.  Then 
follows,  opposite  the  cathedral,  the  building  of  the 
municipality,  with  an  arcade,  and  stores,  to  be  united 
with  another  arcade  that  proceeds  as  far  as  the  Gran 
Hotel  Francia  6  Inglaterra,  the  annex  to  the  Hotel 
Maury,  where  with  its  balcony  overlooking  the  Plaza, 
my  rooms  are  located.  I  want  to  tell  you,  before  we 
part  for  the  night,  that  the  bronze  fountain  in  the 
centre  of  the  Plaza,  surrounded  by  palms,  was  put 
up  in  1650. 

The  three  principal  squares  of  the  city,  besides  the 
old  Plaza  Mayor,  are  the  Inquisition  or  Bolivar 
Square,  Santa  Ana,  and  the  Exposition  Squares.  In 
all,  there  are  thirty-five  public  squares  in  Lima.  That 
of  the  Exposition  is  the  largest,  covering  an  area 
of  about  twelve  acres. 

A  series  of  boulevards  affords  a  driveway,  almost 
uninterrupted,  from  the  river,  and  back,  around  the 
city.  They  were  built  on  the  site  occupied  by  the 
old  walls  that  were  torn  down  in  1870. 


314  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

Five  great  monuments  add  to  the  splendor  of  the 
city.  That  of  Bolivar,  on  the  Plaza  de  la  Inquisicion 
has  two  bas-reliefs  representing  the  battles  of  Junin 
and  Ayacucho.  Col.  Bolognesi  who  fell  in  1880,  de- 
fending the  Morro  of  Arica,  is  commemorated  in  a 
monument,  in  which  the  hero  is  represented  falling 
with  his  flag  in  his  hand.  The  monument,  known  as 
that  of  the  Second  of  May,  commemorates  the  defense 
made  by  the  Peruvian  forts  against  the  Spanish  squad- 
ron in  1866.  The  other  two  statues  are  dedicated  to 
San  Martin  and  Christopher  Columbus,  the  latter 
being  situated  on  the  Paseo,  bearing  his  name. 

To  modern  Lima  belongs  pre-eminently  this  beauti- 
ful new  avenue,  "9  de  Diciembre,"  also  called  Paseo 
de  Colon,  from  the  statue  of  the  Discoverer.  It  is 
about  125  feet  wide.  Here  are  many  fashionable  resi- 
dences, and  here  a  number  of  the  foreign  legations 
are  situated.  The  houses,  though  quite  modern,  are 
generally  low. 

The  Exposition  building,  which  contains  the  Na- 
tional Museum  of  the  Historical  Institute,  is  located 
on  this  square.  The  director  is  the  celebrated  archaeo- 
logist. Dr.  Max  Uhle,  one  of  the  first  authorities  on 
the  ancient  monuments  of  Peru.  The  museum  is  of 
great  importance  for  its  Peruvian  ethnological,  and 
archaeological,  collections,  as  well  as  for  its  colonial 
relics,  and  its  paintings  by  Peruvian  artists,  like 
Merino.  The  well-known  "Death  of  Atahualpa,"  by 
the  Peruvian  painter,  Montero,  was  made  in  Florence. 
During  the  war,  it  was  captured  by  the  Chileans,  but, 
afterward  returned.  It  now  graces  the  small  collec- 
tion of  paintings  in  the  Museo  Nacional. 

Some  of  the  colonial  relics  go  back  to  the  period 
of  the  conquest.  Of  especial  interest  is  the  gilded 
coach  of  one  of  the  viceroys.     Until  the  middle   of 


Modern  Lima  315 

the  seventeenth  century,  besides  five  or  six  small 
carriages  belonging  to  the  judges,  or  to  members  of 
the  nobility,  there  were  no  coaches  in  Lima,  except 
those  of  the  archbishop  and  the  viceroy;  but,  in  the 
latter  part  of  the  eighteenth  century,  when  Manuel 
de  Amat  was  viceroy,  more  than  a  thousand  car- 
riages might  be  seen  going  to  and  fro  on  the  Ala- 
meda, on  occasions  like  that  of  the  feast  of  Porciun- 
cula,  when  the  devout  would  hasten  to  gain  the 
Indulgence  at  the  convent  of  the  Descalzos,  at  the 
end  of  the  Alameda. 

In  the  museum,  there  are,  also,  armorial  bearings 
in  wood  from  Leon  de  Huanuco,  such  as  of  the  fam- 
ilies of  the  Duque  de  Feria,  and  Saco  Flores,  both 
of  the  seventeenth  century.  The  large  portraits  of  the 
viceroys,  looking  down  from  the  walls,  afford  an  agree- 
able study  in  type  and  costume.  It  is  amusing  to  dis- 
cover, among  the  classic  features  of  the  Spanish  blue- 
bloods,  the  pronounced  type  of  Erin  in  the  viceroy, 
Ambrose  O'Higgins. 

The  present  population  of  Lima  amounts  to  about 
150,000,  made  up  of  the  descendants  of  Spaniards,  a 
large  number  of  Indian  and  negro  blood,  Chinese,  and 
other  foreigners,  such  as  English,  Americans,  Ger- 
mans, French,  and  Italians. 

The  city  is  situated  in  a  vast  plain,  the  valley  of 
the  Kimac,  which  is  divided  into  a  large  number  of 
estates,  devoted,  more  or  less,  to  agriculture.  About 
twenty-three  miles  from  the  city,  with  which  it  is 
connected  by  rail,  lies  the  bathing  resort  of  Ancon, 
with  a  fine  beach,  while  the  town  of  Chosica  on  the 
Oroya  railroad,  with  its  agreeable  climate,  and  clear 
sky  is  a  favorite  winter  resort,  offering  to  the  people 
a  welcome  change  from  the  cloudy  atmosphere  of  the 
capital. 


316  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

Before  bidding  farewell  to  the  capital  of  Peru,  let 
us  pay  a  visit  to  the  dead.  The  cemeteries  are  located 
in  the  outskirts  of  the  city,  near  the  remaining  por- 
tion of  the  old  walls,  above  the  river.  The  large,  new 
one,  a  Campo  Santo,  has  a  fine,  octagonal  chapel,  In 
the  Kenaissance  style.  Here  lie  the  men,  of  various 
grades  in  the  army,  and  navy,  who  fell  in  the  war 
with  Chile.  Outside  of  the  chapel,  the  niches  in  which 
the  dead  repose  are  in  oblong  structures,  many  of 
which  radiate,  like  the  spokes  of  a  wheel,  from  the 
centre. 

There  were  other  memories  of  the  dead,  besides  those 
of  modern  times,  memories  of  a  far-off  age,  that  came 
to  me,  before  I  left  Lima.  Fortunately,  the  departure 
of  my  steamer  was  delayed,  and  I  thus  had  an  oppor- 
tunity of  paying  a  visit  to  a  city  the  population  of 
which  has,  long  since,  been  numbered  with  the  inhabi- 
tants of  another  world. 

Peru  is  covered  with  the  ruins  of  ancient  man. 
Long  before  the  Incas  came  to  plant  that  civilization 
which  has  been,  more  or  less,  described  by  the  early 
writers  who  had  known  them,  other  civilizations  pre- 
ceded them,  going  back  to  an  unknown  antiquity,  and 
leaving  their  vestiges  scattered  over  the  land,  from  the 
rock  ruins  of  Tiahuanaco  on  Lake  Titicaca,  to  the 
adobe  structures  on  the  coast.  The  Gran  Chimu  near 
Trujillo,  and  the  ruins  of  the  famous  Pachacamac 
with  its  temple,  are  prominent  among  the  dead  cities 
belonging  to  that  mysterious  Pre-Inca  civilization. 
Less  known  are  the  ruins  of  Cajamarquilla,  only  about 
twenty-three  miles  from  Lima.  I  had  the  pleasure  of 
visiting  these  in  company  with  a  well-known  archaeo- 
logist, Professor  Saville  of  the  Columbia  University. 

We  took  the  9.35  a.  m.  train  of  the  Oroya  railroad 
at  Lima.     Here  and  there,  as  you  proceed,  you  ob- 


PREHISTORIC  RUINS^  PERU 


Modern  Lima  317 

serve  vestiges  of  Pre-Inca  civilization  in  the  adobe 
ruins,  scattered  over  the  country.  Leaving  our  train 
to  proceed  on  its  way  to  Chosica,  the  Avinter  resort 
of  Lima,  we  alighted  at  Santa  Clara  station.  Here  we 
squeezed  ourselves  into  a  little  mule  cart,  run  on 
rails,  pitying  the  poor  mules,  the  cut  and  bleeding 
backs  of  which  testified  to  the  merciless  manner  in 
which  they  are  treated.  A  pleasant  run  through  a 
sugar  plantation  brought  us  to  the  ''hacienda,'^  where 
we  alighted,  to  continue  our  journey  on  foot,  for  half 
an  hour  or  more,  before  we  reached  the  ruins.  At  first, 
walking  was  easy  enough,  while  we  followed  the  road ; 
but  then  it  became  necessary  to  climb  over  walls,  and 
spring  across  brooks,  at  one  time  passing  through  a 
herd  of  cattle.  One  or  two  herdsmen  on  horseback 
were  the  only  human  beings  in  sight.  Breathless, 
tired,  and  covered  with  dust,  we,  finally,  arived  at  the 
end  of  the  journey,  and  dead  Cajamarquilla  lay  before 
us. 

Imagine  a  series  of  adobe  ruins,  stretching  almost 
as  far  as  the  eye  may  reach,  at  the  foot  of  the  moun- 
tain range,  in  a  vast  plain,  where  all  is  silent,  with 
narrow  streets  running  in  all  directions,  and  you  may 
form  some  idea  of  this  Pompeii  of  the  New  World. 
The  houses  are  built  close  together,  many  containing 
several  rooms.  They  have  doors,  but  no  windows,  and 
the  soil  has  accumulated  around  them,  so  that  a  con- 
siderable portion  of  the  walls  is  underground,  though, 
often,  the  interior  of  the  house  descends  to  a  much 
greater  depth  than  the  outside.  About  one-third  of 
the  city  is  completely  buried  under  the  sand,  that, 
age  after  age,  has  come  drifting  down  from  the  moun- 
tains. Deep,  urn-like  pits,  which,  long  since,  have 
been  opened,  most  likely,  by  treasure  hunters,  are  num- 
erous, while  the  remains  of  the  dead,  bones,  skulls, 


318  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

and  broken  pottery  are  scattered  over  tlie  place,  a 
silent  reminder  of  the  people  that,  in  by-gone  ages, 
lived  here.  There  are  evidences  of  two  mounds,  on 
which  temples  may  have  stood.  Imagination  has  a  free 
scope  in  regard  to  Cajamarquilla  where  there  are  so 
few  scientific  data  to  guide  one.  This  place  was  prob- 
ably still  inhabited  when  the  Spaniards  came;  but  to 
what  remote  antiquity  does  it  ascend?  I  shall  ven- 
ture no  conjecture. 

While  I  write,  I  have  lying  on  my  table  the  skull 
of  a  child,  which  the  young  son  of  Prof.  Saville  picked 
up  for  me  from  one  of  the  pits.  A  portion  of  it  soon 
crumbled,  but  the  upper  part  remains.  If  those  empty 
sockets  might  again  hold  the  eyes  of  yore,  and  the 
silent  tongue  return,  what  tales  might  it  not  unfold 
of  a  civilization  that  has  completely  vanished! 


Chapter  XXI. 
FKOM  CALLAO  TO  PANAMA. 

Callao — The  Ucayali — Salaverry — Trujillo — Sanitary  Precau- 
tions —  Pacasmayo  —  Memories  of  Atahualpa  —  Peruvian 
Ladies — Loading  and  Unloading  Freight — South  American 
Names — Delays — Characteristic  Landing  at  Eten — Paita — 
On  the  Verge  of  Mutiny — The  Admiral — Shipping  Oil — End 
of  the  Voyage — From  La  Boca  to  Panama. 

Having  decided  to  leave  Lima,  I  engaged  a  passage 
on  the  first  steamer  I  could  get,  the  "Ucayali,"  one  of 
the  two  vessels  belonging  to  the  Peruvian  Company, 
"Compania  Peruana  de  Vapores  y  Dique  del  Callao." 
I  was  informed  that  there  was  nothing  better  nor 
swifter  on  the  Pacific,  and  that  the  Ucayali  had  triple 
screws,  run  by  a  turbine  engine,  and  that  she  could 
make  twenty  knots  an  hour,  reaching  Panama  in  five 
days.     The  passage  cost  |101.00  in  our  money. 

The  first  disappointment  came  in  the  postponement 
of  departure  for  a  couple  of  days;  then,  on  the  eve 
of  the  date  I  finally  expected  to  sail,  it  was  suddenly 
announced  that  the  sailing  was  postponed  another  day. 
However,  I  had  reason  to  console  myself  for  the  delay, 
in  the  opportunity  offered  to  visit  Cajamarquilla. 
Finally,  on  July  2,  all  was  settled,  and  my  boatman 
was  at  the  hotel  to  take  charge  of  my  baggage,  and 
accompany  me  to  Callao. 

Callao  is  the  port  of  Lima,  with  a  population  exceed- 
ing 31,000,  about  nine  miles  from  the  capital,  to  which 
very  comfortable  electric  cars  run.    About  half  of  the 

319 


320  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

trade  of  Peru  passes  through  Callao,  and  over  a  thou- 
sand vessels  touch  each  year  at  its  port.  Ascending 
to  the  earliest  days  of  the  colony,  it  was  much  afflicted 
in  the  sixteenth  and  seventeenth  centuries  by  pirates, 
among  whom  was  Francis  Drake,  the  terror  of  the 
seas.  In  1866,  it  was  bombarded  by  the  Spaniards, 
and  it  suffered  immensely  from  the  war  with  Chile; 
but  Callao  has  recuperated  from  its  calamities  of  earth- 
quake, fire,  and  war,  and  proseprlty  now  shines  upon  it. 

The  dock  of  Callao,  the  Muelle  Darsena,  is  on  the 
inside  250  meters  long,  by  250  wide,  and  the  floating 
dock  in  the  bay  can  accommodate  vessels  of  5,000  tons. 
About  noon,  I  left  the  wharf  in  a  government  boat, 
offered  me  by  courtesy,  and,  steered  to  the  Ucayali.  1 
ventured  to  offer  money  to  my  sailors;  nor  was  it 
refused.  Come  no?  Why  not?  This  is  the  general 
affirmative  answer  one  receives  throughout  South 
America. 

Late  getting  under  way,  we  had  the  mortifica- 
tion of  seeing  the  Pacific  Steam  Navigation  Com- 
pany's vessel  leaving  before  we  did.  However,  there 
was  some  balm  for  our  feelings  in  the  expectation  of 
soon  passing  her  by  our  superior  speed;  for  we  little 
dreamed  of  what  was  in  store  for  us.  It  was  evening 
before  we  got  our  anchor  up,  and  our  good  ship 
smoothly  steamed  out  of  the  harbor.  I  have  since 
learned,  that  the  machinery  was  out  of  order,  and 
that  they  had  been  working  at  it  up  to  the  last 
moment.  Our  own  engineer  was  exhausted  from  want 
of  sleep,  and,  as  a  precaution,  the  chief  engineer  of  a 
Peruvian  man-of-war,  a  Scotchman,  was  sent  along 
with  us.  The  captain,  principal  officers,  and  engineers 
of  our  ship  were  English  or  Scotch. 

The  Ucayali  is  indeed  a  beautiful,  and  comfortable 
ship,  built  in  England,  capable  of  steaming  eighteen 


From  Callao  to  Panama  321 

knots.  Her  staterooms,  very  comfortable,  open  on 
to  the  decks.  Mine  was  indeed  very  pleasant,  in  spite 
of  the  weary  hours  I  spent  on  board.  Confiding  in  the 
much-praised  qualities  of  our  good  ship,  I  retired  to 
rest.  Morning  dawned,  to  find  us  at  a  standstill  off 
the  Peruvian  coast,  for,  about  six,  the  engines  gave 
out.  All  hands  were  set  to  work  at  repairs,  then  we 
began  to  move  slowly,  gradually  increasing  our  speed. 
Heavy  clouds  were  hanging  over  the  highlands,  but, 
about  1  p.  m.,  they  broke,  exposing  to  view  the  line 
of  the  mountains,  with  patches  of  snow  here  and  there, 
and  affording  a  glimpse  of  the  peak  of  Huascaran. 
Several  ports  were  passed,  at  which  the  coasting 
steamers  of  the  Pacific  Steam  Navigation  Company 
touch,  and  which  are  connected  by  telegraph  with 
Callao  and  Lima.  These  ports  are  Huacho  and  Supe, 
with  sugar  and  cotton  plantations,  Huarmey,  with 
silver  mines  in  the  neighborhood,  Casmo  and  Samanca, 
with  mining  industries,  and  Chimbote,  the  best  port 
on  the  coast.  I  was  told  that  our  men-o'-war  which 
were  to  take  part  in  the  centennial  celebrations  of 
Chile  would  rendezvous  here.  There  are  extensive 
sugar  estates  in  the  vicinity,  and  cultivated  fields  could 
be  seen  from  the  steamer.  A  railway  runs  from  Chim- 
bote to  Suchiman. 

We  passed  some  rocks,  and  small  islands,  at  one  of 
which  a  ship,  engaged  in  the  guano  trade,  was 
anchored.  On  our  right,  in  the  distance,  occasional 
glimpses  would  be  caught  of  lofty  Andean  peaks,  cov- 
ered with  eternal  snow,  and,  on  some  of  the  mountains, 
there  was  barely  a  slender  line  of  snow,  as  though  they 
had  been  tipped  with  silver. 

We  had  been  slowly  steaming  toward  Salaverry  all 
day,  while  I  beguiled  the  hours  with  reading  Ricardo 
Palma's  Tradiciones  Peruanas.     Then,  to  make  mat- 


322  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

ters  worse,  one  of  my  eye  glasses  fell  out.  I  should 
have  been  doomed  to  weariness,  being  deprived  of 
reading,  had  not  a  young  English  engineer  who  was  on 
his  way  home,  hit  upon  the  fortunate  plan  of  repair- 
ing the  damage  with  sticking  plaster.  My  good  friend 
thus  spared  me  many  a  weary  hour.  Should  his  eye 
ever  alight  on  these  pages,  I  beg  him  once  more  to 
accept  the  expression  of  my  gratitude. 

During  the  night,  we  arived  at  Salaverry,  rolling 
in  a  heavy  swell  until  morning.  July  4  found  us  at 
anchor.  I  was  the  only  American  on  board,  having 
the  glorious  Fourth  all  to  myself,  but  our  British 
cousins  gladly  entered  into  the  spirit  of  the  day.  We 
lay  all  day  taking  in  cargo,  with  nothing  but  arid  hills 
and  the  wharf  in  sight,  as  the  little  town  lay  behind  a 
point  of  land. 

Salaverry  is  the  port  of  Trujillo,  which  we  can 
see  in  the  distance.  This  city,  the  capital  of  the 
department,  is  one  of  the  most  important  commer- 
cial places  in  the  north,  with  a  population  of  10,000. 
It  is  the  See  of  a  bishop,  and  one  of  the  first  towns 
founded  by  Pizarro.  About  two  miles  distant  are 
the  ruins  of  Gran  Chimu,  or  Chan  Chan,  an  ancient 
city,  with  a  civilization  all  its  own,  of  which  the 
remains  of  a  Sun  temple  in  the  neighborhood  are  a 
reminder.  Inland,  the  agricultural  towns  of  Chicama, 
Chocope,  and  Ascope,  the  terminus  of  a  railroad,  add 
their  share  to  the  prosperity  of  the  country. 

Salaverry,  connected  by  rail  with  Trujillo,  and 
other  places  in  the  interior,  has  a  population  of  1,500, 
with  an  export  trade  in  sugar,  rice,  and  alcohol. 

We  spent  a  tedious  day,  lying  off  this  port.  The 
monotony  could  easily  have  been  broken,  had  we  been 
permitted  to  land,  and  to  take  the  cars  to  Trujillo; 
but  we  expected  to  reach  Panama  within  six  days. 


From  Callao  to  Panama  323 

and  landing  at  any  port  within  that  time  would  have 
meant  quarantine  before  being  permitted  to  set  foot 
on  the  Isthmus.  The  United  States  health  regulations 
in  Panama  are  quite  rigid,  and  justly  so,  as  nothing 
should  be  allowed  to  interfere  with  the  building  of 
the  canal.  Bubonic  plague  has  become  endemic  in 
South  America,  yellow  fever  is  quite  prevalent  in 
Guayaquil,  and  in  some  places  in  the  Caribbean,  like 
Trinidad,  and  no  risks  may  be  run.  Hence  it  is  that 
reasonable  precautions  are  taken.  Before  leaving 
Lima,  the  ship's  passengers  and  crew  were  submitted 
to  examination  by  physicians  in  the  United  States' 
service,  that  of  the  first-class  passengers  being,  appar- 
ently, quite  perfunctory,  and  consisting  merely  in  pass- 
ing out  of  the  saloon  in  presence  of  the  visiting  physi- 
cian. Although  passengers  are  not  permitted  to  land, 
if  they  do  not  wish  to  be  quarantined,  there  is  no 
restriction  on  people  coming  on  board,  and,  conse- 
quently, one  enters  into  contact  with  persons  from 
the  different  ports,  without  landing.  This,  however, 
is  unavoidable. 

Another  restriction,  rather  irksome  to  foreigners,  is 
the  payment  of  something  like  four  dollars,  when 
steamboat  tickets  are  purchased  by  persons  who  are 
not  citizens  of  the  United  States.  This  is  a  tax  that 
our  government  requires  of  all  aliens  for  the  privilege 
of  entering  upon  our  territory.  We  keep  the  doors 
ajar,  nor  de  we  seem  particularly  anxious  that  the 
whole  world  should  share  the  benefits  of  our  civiliza- 
tion. Argentinians  have  boasted  that  if  America  is 
for  Americans,  "Argentina  is  for  humanity,"  yet  Ar- 
gentina, though  encouraging  immigration,  is  not  slow 
to  rid  herself  of  her  undesirable  citizens.  We  had 
several  persons  on  board  who  were  bound  for  the  Uni- 
ted States,  and  who  had  been  obliged  to  comply  with 


324  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

these  regulations.  With  good  or  bad  grace,  they  had 
accepted  the  inevitable,  and  all  of  ns  were  obliged  to 
make  the  best  of  the  situation  and  remain  on  board. 

The  darkness  of  night  still  found  us  off  Salaverry, 
and,  to  make  matters  worse,  the  electric  lights  sud- 
denly went  out,  leaving  us  in  complete  darkness.  Some- 
thing was  wrong  with  the  dynamo.  Oil  lanterns  were 
suspended  on  deck^  and  candles  were  distributed 
throughout  the  ship,  in  the  staterooms,  and  wherever 
lights  were  required.  As  the  ship  was  not  supplied 
with  candlesticks,  the  candles  were  set  up  on  saucers, 
or  anything  that  would  answer  the  purpose.  This  in- 
convenience did  not,  on  this  occasion,  last  long,  as, 
after  a  couple  of  hours,  the  lights  went  up,  as  sud- 
denly as  they  had  vanished,  to  the  great  joy,  and  with 
the  applause  of  the  passengers.  Finally  we  weighed 
anchor,  and  got  under  way  about  midnight,  with 
renewed  hope  in  our  heart. 

In  the  morning,  we  were  at  Pacasmayo,  the  port 
of  Caxamarca  to  which  a  railway  train  runs  as  the 
occasion  demands.  Several  small  towns  with  popula- 
tions from  four  to  five  thousand  are  passed  before 
reaching  this  port,  agriculture  being  the  principal 
industry  on  this  part  of  the  coast. 

Cajamarca,  at  the  foot  of  Mount  Cumbe  which  at- 
tains an  altitude  of  16,000  feet,  is  the  capital  of  the 
department  of  that  name,  with  a  population  of  15,000. 
It  was  an  important  Inca  town,  at  the  time  of  the 
conquest,  and  it  was  here  that  the  unfortunate  Ata- 
hualpa  was  taken  prisoner  by  Pizarro. 

Again  some  tedious  hours  had  to  be  spent,  the  pas- 
sengers amusing  themselves  as  best  they  could  by 
reading,  conversation,  games  of  cards,  and  chess,  ac- 
cording to  their  respective  tastes.  However,  the  number 
of  passengers  kept  on   decreasing,  a  few  landing  at 


From  Callao  to  Panama  325 

every  port,  until  at  the  last  stop  before  Panama,  we 
had  about  twelve  left,  mostly  English  and  Germans, 
with  only  one  lady  in  the  first  class,  a  resident  of 
Lima  of  Italian  descent  who,  with  her  father,  was 
proceeding  to  the  United  States,  en  route  to  pay  a 
visit  to  his  native  land.  Although  it  is  said  that  the 
education  which  the  Peruvian  women  receive  at  home 
is  not  very  high,  when  compared  with  what  we  regard 
as  the  standard,  it  is  quite  sure,  that  the  young  lady 
in  question  was  well  versed  in  the  classic  literature 
of  Italy.  It  may  be,  that  the  Peruvian  ladies  have 
not  dipped  into  as  many  branches  of  learning  as  ours, 
yet  I  am  not  certain  but  that  they  possess  a  fund  of 
knowledge  quite  as  useful,  and  solid,  as  far  as  it  goes. 
In  refinement  and  culture  they  are,  surely,  not  bring- 
ing up  the  rear. 

Among  the  recreations  of  our  passengers,  that  of 
looking  on  at  the  loading,  and  unloading  of  cargo 
helped  to  while  away  the  time.  It  was  interesting  to 
listen  to  the  chattering  of  the  boatmen,  and  to  have 
your  attention  drawn,  now  and  then,  to  some  amus- 
ing incident.  I  remember,  at  least,  one  individual 
whose  name  impressed  me  by  the  memories  of  old 
Byzantium  which  it  evoked.  He  might  have  been  a 
descendant  of  the  Incas,  or  his  fathers  may  have  come 
from  Spain  or  Italy,  but,  whatever  his  nationality, 
he  rejoiced  in  the  name  of  Belisario.  In  South  Amer- 
ica, Old  Testament  names  are  quite  common.  What- 
ever may  have  induced  love  or  admiration  for  the  son 
of  Abraham  and  Hagar,  whether  sympathy  for  the 
poor  outcast  son  of  the  slave  or  not,  the  fact  is,  that 
the  name  Ismael  is  not  uncommon.  In  my  reading  I 
have  even  met  with  the  name  Abigail,  borne  by  a 
man.    Women,  as  is  well  known,  often  bear  the  name 


326  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

of  religious  mysteries,  and  titles  of  the  Blessed  Vir- 
gin, or  of  her  feast  days.  Hence  we  so  often  find  Dol- 
ores, Concepcion,  and  so  on.  Even  the  Name  of  the 
Saviour  of  Mankind,  that  religious  persons  of  our  race, 
Protestant,  as  well  as  Catholic,  never  pronounce  with- 
out reverence,  is  commonly  borne  by  persons  of  Spanish 
descent. 

Carrying  these  reflections  with  us  in  our  notes,  and 
bidding  farewell  to  Pacasmayo  and  its  Belisario,  we 
steamed  off  about  noon,  keeping  the  coast  in  sight,  the 
same  dry,  monotonous,  Peruvian  coast  without  vege- 
tation, and  dreary.  The  weather  is  cool;  for  Hum- 
boldt's current  still  bears  us  company.  We  have  not 
yet  discovered  by  experience  that  the  Ucayali  is  the 
fastest  boat  on  the  Pacific,  for  we  have  some  more 
trouble  with  the  engine,  and  we  are  obliged  to  slacken 
speed.  However,  the  comfortable  assurance  is,  every 
now  and  then,  given  us,  that  all  will  soon  be  righted. 
Still  I  cannot  help  feeling  some  anxiety,  as  I  look  for- 
ward to  the  long  stretch  between  Lobitos  and  Pan- 
ama. 

We  are  still  passing  the  agricultural  districts  where 
sugar  and  rice  are  produced,  with  a  couple  of  small 
towns,  and  several  important  estates.  About  four 
p.  m.  we  arrive  at  Eten,  and  anchor  off  a  cliff,  with 
the  town,  or  village,  dimly  seen  in  the  distance.  Great 
lighters  are  making  for  the  ship,  rowed  by  a  number 
of  men,  standing  and  dipping  their  long  oars,  as  the 
huge  boats  painfully  struggle  through  the  waves. 
Since  leaving  Callao,  no  such  thing  as  a  tug  boat  was 
seen.  Only  a  schooner  and  a  sloop  are  lying  in  the 
harbor. 

At  Eten,  we  put  ashore  a  number  of  passengers 
in  a  lighter.  The  mode  of  transferring  them  from  the 
ship  to  the  smaller  crafts  was  characteristic.    A  rude 


From  Callao  to  Panama  327 

chair  had  been  made  of  a  barrel,  a  portion  of  which 
had  been  sawed  away.  One  passenger  seated  himself 
in  the  barrel,  and  another  stood  up  before  him,  hold- 
ing on  to  the  ropes  on  which  it  swung.  Then,  by  block 
and  tackle,  it  was  hoisted  over  the  rail,  and  let  down 
into  the  lighter.  This  performance  was  gone  through, 
until  all  had  been  transferred,  when  the  vessel  left  us, 
to  proceed  to  the  fine  iron  pier,  that  we  could  see  in 
the  distance. 

The  village  of  Eten  is  three  miles  from  the  port. 
It  is  one  of  the  centres  of  the  straw  industry,  and 
of  the  fabrication  of  Panama  hats.  The  valley  in 
the  interior  is  very  fertile,  with  products  of  sugar, 
rice,  and  tobacco.  A  railroad  from  Eten  to  Patapo, 
thirty  miles  away,  passes  most  of  the  principal  towns 
and  estates. 

We  left  Eten  about  10  at  night,  our  steamer  going 
at  a  fair  rate  of  speed.  We  did  not  stop  at  Pimentel, 
nine  miles  further  to  the  north,  a  port  with  short 
railroads  to  inland  towns,  but  kept  on,  until  we 
reached  Paita,  at  noon  on  July  6,  having  made  the 
run  of  155  miles  in  about  fourteen  hours.  Our  average 
rate  of  speed  had  been,  thus,  a  little  more  than  eleven 
knots  an  hour.  Even  this  meant  tremendous  labor  for 
the  engineers  who  seemed  nearly  exhausted,  and  wha 
were  straining  every  nerve  to  keep  the  machinery  in 
order.  , 

On  this  part  of  the  coast,  we  first  sighted  a  school 
of  whales  off  the  entrance  to  the  harbor  of  Paita. 
Another  welcome  sight  was  that  of  the  Peruvian  man- 
of-war,  Almirante  Grau,  swinging  at  anchor.  She  had, 
no  doubt,  been  sent  up  here  on  account  of  the  Ecua- 
dorian war  scare. 

The  little  town  of  Paita  lay  nestling  against 
the    cliff,    with    its    population    of    three    thousand 


328  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

and  a  half,  small  enough  for  the  third  port  of 
Peru  from  a  commercial  standpoint.  Paita  has  a 
hotel,  a  theatre,  and  some  churches.  It. is  connected 
by  rail  with  Piura,  the  most  important  town  in  the 
north,  about  sixty  miles  inland,  with  a  population  of 
10,000.  The  town  of  Piura  is  the  center  of  the  cotton 
cultivation,  the  port  of  exportation  being  Paita.  It 
has,  also,  a  dry  and  healthy  climate,  especially  favor- 
able to  rheumatics,  who,  in  consequence,  frequently 
resort  to  it. 

It  is  especially  at  Paita  that  you  come  in  contact 
with  the  Panama  hats  which  are  made  at  Catacaos. 
about  six  miles  from  Piura,  on  the  extension  of  the 
railroad.  These  hats,  of  all  sizes  and  prices,  are 
brought  on  board  by  natives  who,  I  am  told,  endeavor 
to  demand  exorbitant  prices  of  strangers.  As  I  sat 
reading  in  my  room,  with  the  door  open,  from  time 
to  time  one  with  the  mingled  blood  of  Indian  and 
Spaniard  would  pass,  generally  offering  his  tempting 
hats  for  sale.  If  I  paid  no  attention  to  him,  or  shook 
my  head,  he  would  offer  me  one  para  la  Senorita, 
or  for  the  ninito  (the  baby),  and,  though  I  was 
most  emphatic  in  my  declaration,  that  I  had  no  ^^Sen- 
orita,"  one  of  the  venders  succeeded  in  passing  a  couple 
of  his  hats  to  me,  in  exchange  for  some  of  my  Peru- 
vian gold.-  If  you  happen  to  be  a  connoisseur  in 
Panama  hats,  you  may,  of  course,  obtain  them  much 
cheaper  here,  than  you  could  in  the  United  States,  but, 
should  you  purchase  any,  you  will,  naturally,  declare 
them  on  arrival  in  New  York,  or  whatever  other  port 
of  this  country  you  enter. 

The  method  of  bringing  the  lighters  to  the  ship  was 
different  from  that  followed  at  Eten.  A  rope,  fast- 
ened to  the  shore,  was  brought  on  board  by  a  canoe, 
and  by  means  of  it,  the  large,  square  lighters  were 


From  Callao  to  Panama  329 

pulled  alongside.  Great  diversion  was,  also,  caused  by 
the  number  of  native  venders  of  provisions.  A  raft  of 
rough  logs,  lashed  together,  such  as  was,  probably,  in 
use  on  this  coast,  centuries  before  Pizarro  landed,  and 
navigated  by  two  natives,  came  to  us  with  fish.  Then 
there  were  boats,  with  native  (cholo)  women,  selling 
eggs,  fruit,  caged  birds  and  so  on. 

Another  exciting  incident,  as  night  fell,  was  the 
strike  of  the  workmen  and  ^'greasers"  down  in  the 
engine  rooms.  It  was  not  precisely  a  mutiny,  but 
had  the  men  left  the  ship,  as  they  seemed  decided  to 
do,  we  would  have  been  in  a  worse  plight  than  ever. 
It  all  came  from  sympathy  with  a  countryman  who 
had  been  punished  by  one  of  the  English  engineers. 
The  matter  grew  to  be  so  serious,  that  word  was  sent 
to  the  admiral  on  board  the  Peruvian  warship,  and 
he  hastened  to  us  in  his  gig.  Gathering  the  men  on 
what  I  might  designate  as  the  "quarter  deck,"  he 
listened  to  their  complaints,  and  promised  an  investi- 
gation ;  but,  for  the  moment,  he  gave  them  the  alterna- 
tive of  either  proceeding  with  the  Ucayali,  or  of  being 
taken  on  board  the  man-of-war.  They  chose  the  first 
horn  of  the  dilemma,  and  remained  with  us,  all,  except 
the  ringleader  who  was  quite  emphatic  in  his  talk  with 
the  admiral,  and  who  was  permitted  to  leave  the  ship. 
The  admiral,  I  understand,  told  him  that  he  was  an 
unruly  fellow,  and  they  were,  probably,  well  pleased 
to  be  rid  of  him.  It  was  quite  a  picture  to  see  those 
silent  men,  apparently  awed  by  the  presence  of  such 
an  exalted  personage  as  an  admiral,  standing  in  a 
group  outside  the  captain^s  door,  while  an  uncertain 
light  half  lit  their  begrimed  faces.  They  said  nothing, 
but  their  spokesman,  the  man  to  whom  I  referred  a 
moment  ago,  made  up  for  their  silence  by  his  excited 
manner,  and  the  volumes  of  sound  that  poured  from 


330  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

his  mouth,  while  the  admiral,  calm  and  dignified, 
judged  the  case.  At  all  events,  we  kept  our  ''greas- 
ers," and  the  admiral  was  kind  enough  to  send  us 
another  detachment  of  engineers  from  his  own  ship, 
to  assist  ours  who  had  been   overworked. 

In  the  meantime,  we  continued  to  have  trouble  with 
the  dynamo,  the  .lights  going  out  at  intervals  every 
night.  Word  had  been  telegraphed  to  Lima  concern- 
ing our  condition,  but  we  never  knew  what  answer 
had  been  received.  Further,  the  pumps  had  given  out, 
and  it  became  necessary  to  be  very  sparing  in  the 
use  of  fresh  water.  For  our  bath,  water  had  to  be 
hauled  up  from  the  sea  by  buckets.  It  was  in  this 
condition  that  we,  finally,  left  Paita  for  Lobitos,  our 
last  port,  before  Panama,  about  two  o'clock  in  the 
morning,  arriving  at  Lobitos  at  seven. 

This  town,  little  more  than  five  years  old,  is  full 
of  petroleum  deposits.  It  lies  straggling  on  the  beach, 
with  oil  pumps  scattered  all  around.  These  wells 
are  operated  by  an  English  company,  the  bulk  of  the 
oil  being  shipped  to  Japan.  The  petroleum  region 
appears  to  stretch  from  here  to  the  borders  of  Ecuador, 
some  sections  being  operated  by  Peruvians. 

Our  object  in  landing  at  Lobitos  was  to  ship  oil 
which  we  used  for  fuel,  instead  of  coal.  The  ship  lay 
a  short  distance  from  the  shore,  and  the  oil  was 
brought  to  us  through  a  long  hose.  We  remained  at 
Lobitos,  pumping  oil  all  day  long,  and  a  part  of  the 
night.  Freight  is  here  landed,  not  in  lighters,  but 
on  rafts. 

About  eight  or  nine  o'clock,  the  lights  of  a  big 
steamer  hove  in  sight,  and  we  indulged  in  all  manner 
of  conjectures,  some  believing  that  she  might  be  our  sis- 
ter ship  of  the  Peruvian  company,  that  not  long  after- 
wards, was  burned  to  the  water's  edge,  her  passengers 


From  Callao  to  Panama  331 

being  rescued  by  the  Ucayali,  as  I  learned  from  the 
newspapers.  An  exchange  of  signals  proved  the 
stranger  to  be  a  Pacific  Steam  Navigation  vessel  that 
left  Lima  after  we  did,  bound  for  Panama.  So  I  had 
gained  nothing  by  taking  the  fastest  ship  on  the  Pa- 
cific, except  some  varied  experiences,  and  the  com- 
pany of  a  fine  set  of  officers  and  passengers.  We 
treated  the  passing  steamer  to  a  pyrotechnic  display, 
and  she  went  on  her  course,  leaving  us  to  our  misery. 

We  managed  to  get  away  from  Lobitos  in  the  early 
morning,  creeping  along  slowly,  with  hope  dying  out 
in  our  heart,  for  there  was  no  other  port  on  our 
itinerary,  before  Panama.  Tumbes  lay  to  the  north, 
on  the  line  between  Peru  and  Ecuador,  but  we  were 
not  to  touch  at  that  port.  I  may  mention,  in  passing, 
that  it  was  near  Tumbes,  then  a  flourishing  Indian 
town,  that  Pizarro  first  landed.  The  ruins  of  a  temple 
are  in  its  neighborhood.  It  has  a  population  today 
of  some  2,200  souls,  with  oil  wells  in  the  vicinity. 

At  Cape  Blanco,  a  little  north  of  Lobitos,  the  ant- 
arctic current  leaves  us,  to  sweep  across  the  Pacific, 
we  are  now  really  in  the  tropics,  and  the  temperature 
rises  to  a  high  degree.  We  shall  not,  however,  enjoy 
the  sight  of  tropical  vegetation  on  the  Ecuadorian 
and  Columbian  coasts,  for  we  shall  see  land  no  more 
for  several  days.  From  Lobitos,  we  steer  almost  due 
north,  passing  on  our  way  that  deep  gulf  formed  by 
a  strong  indentation  of  the  coast  of  Columbia.  All 
that  we  shall  see  of  Ecuador  is  a  light  off  the  coast. 
For  some  time  after  leaving  Lobitos,  we  have  trouble 
with  the  machinery,  the  ship  sometimes  remaining 
motionless  for  hours,  then  proceeding  slowly,  until 
about  a  day  or  so  before  reaching  Panama,  she  keeps 
on  at  a  steady  run  of  about  ten  knots.  The  dynamo, 
however,  has  completely  given  out,  and  for  the  last 


332  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

few  days  we  have  nothing  to  light  us,  but  lanterns 
and  candles.  The  passengers  amuse  themselves  at  in- 
tervals by  running  aft,  to  look  at  the  log,  and  to  find 
out  how  fast  we  are  going,  at  least  when  we  are  going 
at  all. 

Fortunately,  there  were,  now  and  then,  some  little 
incidents  to  break  the  monotony.  Thus,  one  day,  \ 
passed  a  school  of  young  sharks,  so  near  that  we  might 
have  hit  them  with  a  stone.  Then,  at  night,  on  an- 
other occasion,  in  one  of  our  intervals  of  rest,  as  the 
Ucayali  lay  dozing  on  the  waves,  the  sea  became  a 
sheet  of  fire,  phosphorescent  figures  dancing  around 
us  on  all  sides,  as  though  mocking  our  helpless  inac- 
tivity. 

At  last,  on  the  afternoon  of  July  12,  the  mon- 
otonous voyage  neared  its  end,  when  the  first  land  on 
the  Isthmus  was  sighted.  Tropical  showers  had  been 
drenching  the  ship  for  a  couple  of  days,  and  our 
young  lady  from  rainless  Lima  opened  her  eyes  in 
astonishment  at  the  unwonted  spectacle.  It  was  like 
a  child  of  the  tropics  seeing  snow  for  the  first  time. 
We,  also,  saw  indication  of  whales  that  afternoon, 
and  a  whaling  ship  at  anchor. 

About  sunset,  we  anchored.  It  was  too  late  to  land, 
but  the  doctor  came  on  board,  in  a  drenching  shower, 
apparently  soaked,  in  spite  of  his  oil  skin.  The  exam- 
ination took  place  in  the  smoking  room,  the  thermom- 
eter being  used  only  on  one  individual,  a  man  who  had 
come  on  board,  some  time  in  the  last  six  days.  Of 
course  he  had  to  finish  his  time  at  the  quarantine 
station  in  the  bay,  where,  I  am  told,  you  are  com- 
fortably housed  and  cared  for,  at  the  rate  of  two 
dollars  a  day. 

We  thus  spent  our  last  night  on  the  Ucayali,  and  a 
warm,  tropical  night  it  was.    At  daybreak,  the  anchor 


From  Callao  to  Panama  333 

was  up,  and  we  were  steaming  into  the  harbor,  admir- 
ing the  splendid  bay  of  Panama,  and  a  magnificent 
sunrise  of  the  tropics.  Passing  the  island  of  quaran- 
tine, and  that  known  as  "Dead  Man's  Island,''  we 
finally  ran  into  the  docks  at  La  Boca,  where  several 
steamers  that  had  come  from  north  and  south  were 
tied  up.  The  voyage  had  lasted  ten  days,  but  its  dis- 
appointments, and  monotony  were  soon  forgotten. 
We  all  regretted  the  mishaps  of  the  Ucayali,  for,  I 
am  sure,  we  wished  the  young,  enterprising  Peruvian 
company  well.^  The  manager,  learning  of  our  mis- 
fortunes, had  taken  the  English  steamer,  the  one  that 
passed  us  at  Lobitos,  and  he  had  preceded  us  to 
Panama. 

After  a  long  delay,  we  took  the  train  running  from 
La  Boca  to  Panama  City,  where  we  arrived  in  about 
fifteen  minutes.  Here  we  bade  farewell  to  most  of 
our  fellow  passengers  who  were  to  cross  the  Isthmus 
to  Colon,  in  order  to  catch  the  Royal  Mail  steamer 
that  was  to  sail  that  day  for  New  York.  For  myself, 
I  drove  to  the  Hotel  Central  which,  the  best  in  the 
city,  is  thoroughly  Spanish,  with  rates  of  about  four 
dollars  a  day,  gold.  The  silver  peso  is  worth  about 
fifty  cents.  American  money  is  received  at  its  full 
value. 

The  heat  was  now  intense,  and  I  was  more  than 
pleased  to  seek  the  shade  in  the  quiet  room  allotted 
to  me.  I  felt  now  that  I  was  truly  in  the  tropics 
once  more,  for  Western  Peru  is  tropical  only  by  its 
geographical  position,  while  Panama  lies  in  the  heart 
of  the  tropics,  the  warm  pulsations  of  which  it  feels 
with  energy,  though  its  position  between  the  Pacific 
and  the  Caribbean  may,  perhaps,  temper  the  heat. 


1 1  have  since  learned  tbat  the  Ucayali  is  behaving  splendidly, 
and  that  she  is  now  keeping  up  her  reputation  for  speed. 


Chapter  XXII. 
PANAMA. 

Geography  — Climate  —  Division  — Discovery  —  Population  — 
Indians — Products — Industries — Panama  Railroad — Gov- 
ernment— Army — Religion — Canal  Zone — Old  Panama — 
New  Panama — The  Cathedral — Ruined  Churches — Hotel 
Tivoli — ^Ancon  Hospital. 

The  Isthmus  of  Panama,  the  narrow  dividing  line 
between  two  great  oceans,  unites  the  two  halves  of 
the  great  Western  continent.  Undulating  from  east 
to  west,  from  Columbia  to  Costa  Rica,  with  the  At- 
lantic Ocean,  or  rather  the  Caribbean  Sea,  on  the 
north,  and  the  Pacific  Ocean  on  the  south,  its  lowest 
extremity  reaches  to  7°  10'  N.  L.,  and  its  highest  point 
lies  at  9°  11'  N.  L.  The  length  of  the  Isthmus  is  some- 
what more  than  450  miles,  and  its  greatest  width  a 
little  more  than  118  miles,  while,  at  its  narowest 
point,  it  is  only  a  little  more  than  thirty  miles  wide. 
An  irregular  chain  of  hills  runs  through  the  entire 
Isthmus,  with  branches  north  and  south,  being  lowest 
between  Colon  and  Panama,  and  reaching  an  eleva- 
tion of  over  7,000  feet  in  the  province  of  Chiriqui, 
toward  Costa  Rica.  The  volcano  of  Chiriqui,  the  only 
one  in  the  country,  has  never  been  active  within  the 
memory  of  man. 

The  climate,  though  salubrious,  is  generally  damp, 
and  hot  on  the  coast,  though  cool  on  the  heights.  The 
Atlantic  coast  is  slightly  warmer  than  that  of  the 
Pacific,  owing  to  the  currents  of  the  Caribbean.    There 

334 


Panama  335 

are  two  seasons,  one  dry  which  lasts  from  January  to 
April,  while  rains  are  frequent  during  the  rest  of  the 
year,  especially  in  October  and  November.  These 
rains  are  often  torrential.  I  visited  Panama  in  July, 
and  showers  were  of  frequent  occurrence. 

The  country  is  divided  into  seven  provinces,  Panama, 
Colon,  Cocl6,  Los  Santos,  Veraguas,  Ohiriqui,  and 
Bocas  del  Toro,  each  province  being  subdivided  into 
a  number  of  districts.  The  principal  ports  are  Colon, 
Bocas  del  Toro,  Chagres,  Portobelo,  Bastimentos,  Nom- 
bre  de  Dios,  Palenque,  and  Escribanos  on  the  Atlantic, 
and  Panama,  Pedregal,  Montijo,  Chitr§,  Mensab6, 
Puerto  Posada,  San  Carlos,  Aguadulce,  and  el  Keal  de 
Santa  Maria  on  the  Pacific. 

Columbus,  on  his  fourth  and  last  voyage,  in  1502, 
while  seeking  a  passage  to  the  Indies,  discovered  the 
Isthmus  of  Panama,  although,  the  previous  year,  Eod- 
rigo  de  Bastida  had  sailed  on  this  coast.  In  1510,  the 
region  was  granted  to  Diego  de  Nicuesa  as  Castilla 
del  Oro.  The  first  settlements  were  those  of  Nomhre 
de  Dios,  founded  by  Nicuesa,  and  of  Santa  Maria  la 
Antigua  del  Darien,  established  by  Enciso  and  Vasco 
Nunez  de  Balboa.  The  latter,  having  become  gover- 
nor, crossed  the  Isthmus,  and  discovered  the  Pacific 
Ocean  on  September  26,  1513.  The  following  year, 
Pedro  Arias  Davila,  known  as  Pedrarias,  arrived  at 
La  Antigua  as  governor,  and  the  city  of  Antigua  was 
made  an  episcopal  see,  with  Juan  de  Quevedo  as  the 
first  bishop  of  Panama. 

In  course  of  time,  the  Isthmus  formed  part  of  the 
vice-royalty  of  New  Granada,  to  which  it  remained 
attached,  until  independence  was  won  in  1821,  when 
it  became  part  of  the  Kepublic  of  Columbia.  In  1903, 
it  was  separated  from  Columbia,  to  form  a  separate 
republic.     This  is  history  quite  recent. 


336  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

The  population  of  the  Isthmus  is,  by  this  time,  prob- 
ably between  360,000  and  400,000.  The  constituent 
elements  are  Indians,  Whites,  Negroes,  Mongolians, 
Malays,  and  persons  of  mixed  blood.  Whatever  may 
be  wanting  in  Panama,  it  is  surely  not  lacking  in  color. 

The  Indians  may  be  divided  into  two  categories, 
those  more  or  less  civilized,  who  live  scattered  over  the 
Kepublic  at  some  distance  from  the  centres  of  pop- 
ulation, and  who,  having  lost  their  language,  speak 
Spanish,  and  those  that  have  preserved  their  original 
habits  and  language,  and  live  completely  isolated.  The 
latter  category  is  subdivided  into  two  distinct  races, 
the  Guaimies,  and  the  Cunas. 

The  Guaimies,  for  the  most  part,  inhabit  the  valley 
of  Miranda  in  the  Cordillera  of  Veraguas,  almost  in 
the  centre  of  the  Republic,  which  is  separated  from  the 
adjoining  plains  by  very  difficult  passes  to  which 
neither  whites  nor  blacks  may  have  access,  except  by 
the  favor  of  some  powerful  chief.  Thus  have  these 
Indians  who  belong  to  the  same  family,  as  the  Tala- 
mancas  of  Costa  Rica,  preserved  their  independence, 
their  manners,  and  their  language.  One  of  their  chiefs 
boasts  of  his  descent  from  Montezuma,  emperor  of  the 
Aztecs.    They  are  supposed  to  number  about  6,000. 

The  Cunas,  believed  to  be  of  the  Carib  race,  and  in 
number  about  14,000,  live  mostly  in  the  northern  part 
of  the  Republic,  south  of  the  Gulf  of  San  Bias.  The 
most  indomitable  of  the  Indians  occupy  the  valleys 
of  Chucunaque  and  the  Canazas  river.  The  San  Bias 
Indians  of  which  one  hears  so  much  in  Panama  belong 
to  this  race.  It  is  said  that  they  never  permit  whites 
to  spend  the  night  in  any  of  their  settlements.  At 
stated  times,  they  visit  Colon,  Panama,  and  other  towns, 
with  coffee,  cocoa,  cocoanuts,  and  other  products.  They 
were  visited  by  the  late  Bishop  Thiel  of  Costa  Rica 


Panama  337 

who  baptized  many  of  them.  Sitting  on  the  porch  of 
my  hotel  at  Colon,  I  have  several  times  seen  them  in 
their  canoes,  returning  home. 

The  whites  in  Panama  are  the  descendants  of  Span- 
iards, with  a  large  percentage  of  others,  drawn  by  the 
labors  of  the  Canal,  or  for  commercial  purposes.  The 
number  of  Americans  is,  of  course,  quite  large. 

Persons  of  negro  blood  appear  to  form  the  vast 
majority  of  the  population,  the  province  of  Bocas  del 
Toro,  especially,  being  filled  with  negroes  and  Mestizos 
from  the  West  Indies  who  speak  English.  The  Canal 
has  drawn  large  numbers  from  Jamaica,  Barbados, 
Martinique,  and  other  islands.  Add  to  these  a  certain 
number  of  Chinese,  and  of  Coolies  from  the  East  In- 
dies. Since  1904,  however,  the  immigration  of  Chi- 
nese, Turks,  and  Syrians  has  been  prohibited.  Among 
the  mixed  races,  the  mestizos  are  the  descendants  of 
whites  and  Indians,  the  mulattoes  of  whites  and  ne- 
groes, and  the  zamhos  of  Indians  and  negroes.  The 
fair  complexion  and  red  hair,  found,  here  and  there, 
among  the  Cuna  Indians,  are  supposed  to  owe  their 
origin  to  the  days,  when  pirates  tarried  often,  and  long 
on  the  Isthmus. 

Panama  is  rich  in  products  of  various  kinds.  Min- 
erals exist  in  the  shape  of  gold,  silver,  copper,  iron^ 
coal,  salt,  and  manganese.  From  its  wealth  of  goldy 
when  first  discovered,  it  obtained  the  name  of  Castillo, 
del  OrOj  and  the  mines  of  Veraguas  became  very  pro- 
fitable to  Spain,  as  well  as  those  of  Espiritu  Santo. 
Then  the  rich  mines  of  Panama  fell  into  neglect,  until 
those  of  Espiritu  Santo,  or  Cana,  were  reopened  by  an 
English  company. 

The  rich,  tropical  soil  produces  all  kinds  of  useful 
woods,  and,  from  an  agricultural  standpoint,  may  be 


338  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

enumerated  bananas  and  other  fruits  of  the  tropical 
zone,  such  as  cocoa,  maiz,  rice,  coffee,  and  tobacco. 

The  principal  exports  are  rubber,  coffee,  cocoa,  dye- 
woods,  gold,  and  other  articles.  The  value  of  these 
is,  however,  small,  when  compared  to  the  trade  in 
bananas  which  are  exported  from  Bocas  del  Toro,  and 
Colon,  producing,  annually,  over  a  million  dollars  in 
gold.  Panama  is  one  of  the  fields  of  operation  for 
the  United  Fruit  Company. 

As  regards  imported  goods,  it  has  been  calculated, 
that  these  amount  yearly  to  an  average  of  |2,300,000, 
gold. 

The  principal  industries  consist  in  the  manufacture 
of  brandy,  pottery,  and  straw  hats,  while  pearl  fish- 
ing on  the  Pacific  is,  also,  a  source  of  revenue. 

The  Isthmus  being  a  point  of  transit,  and  of  com- 
munication between  the  East  and  the  West,  the  ports 
of  Colon  and  Panama  are  filled  with  travelers,  and  a 
great  many  steamers  are  constantly  calling.  In  1848, 
at  the  time  of  the  discovery  of  gold  in  California, 
Panama  became  of  considerable  importance,  by  the 
passage  across  the  Isthmus  of  "gold  seekers."  It  is 
estimated,  that,  during  those  years,  from  twenty-five 
to  forty  thousand  persons  passed  annually  between 
Colon  and  Panama. 

It  was  about  that  time  that  the  first  steps  were 
taken  toward  building  the  Panama  railroad,  by  an 
American  company.  A  contract  was  signed  with  the 
government  of  Columbia  in  1850,  and  the  road  was 
opened  to  traffic  in  January,  1855,  continuing  its  oper- 
ations to  the  present  day.  The  line,  47  miles  long, 
runs  from  Colon  to  Panama,  across  the  Isthmus,  the 
journey  lasting,  at  the  present  time,  about  two  hours 
and  a  half.     From  the  beginning,  until  a  compara- 


Panama  339 

tively  short  time  ago,  the  fare  was  |25.00.  Today  you 
pay  at  the  rate  of  about  five  cents  a  mile. 

The  money  of  the  Kepublic  is  the  balboa  (gold^, 
worth  one  dollar  American,  and  the  peso  (silver), 
the  equivalent  of  fifty  cents  of  our  money. 

The  government  of  Panama  is  republican,  with  its 
seat  in  the  city  of  Panama,  and  the  three  Powers, 
Legislative,  Executive,  and  Judiciary.  The  legislative 
power  is  vested  in  the  National  Assembly,  the  mem- 
bers of  which  are  elected  every  four  years  by  popular 
vote,  in  the  proportion  of  one  for  every  ten  thousand 
of  the  population,  and  one  for  the  balance,  not  under 
five  thousand.    The  Assembly  meets  every  two  years. 

The  president's  term  lasts  four  years,  several  per- 
sons being  designated  to  succeed  him,  in  the  event  of 
his  death.  Thus,  when  I  visited  the  Ithmus,  Don 
Carlos  A.  Mendoza,  who  had  been  "Segundo  Desig- 
nato,"  or  second  designated,  was  in  the  presidential 
chair.  The  president  is  assisted  by  four  secretaries, 
who  take  charge  of  the  various  departments  of  the 
government. 

The  provinces  are  administered  by  governors,  nomi- 
nated each  year  by  the  president,  and  the  municipali- 
ties are  under  an  alcalde,  appointed  by  the  governor, 
and  under  a  municipal  council,  the  members  of  which 
are  elective. 

The  Supreme  Court  sits  in  the  capital,  where  there 
is,  also,  a  court  of  appeals.  The  circuit  judges  func- 
tion in  the  capitals  of  the  provinces,  and  each  district 
has  its  municipal  judge. 

The  Panama  army  consists  of  250  men,  with  gen- 
eral, colonel,  general  adjutant,  chief  of  staff,  general 
inspector,  sergeant  major,  second  adjutant,  commis- 
sary, surgeon,  instructor,  and  so  forth,  as  the  staff 
officers,  besides  two  captains,  and  their  lieutenants. 


340  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

There  is,  also,  a  police  force,  the  greater  portion  of 
which  is  in  Panama  and  Colon.  Every  citizen  may  be 
called  upon  in  case  of  war. 

The  religion  of  the  majority  of  the  people  is  Koman 
Catholic,  but  there  is  free  exercise  of  religion  for  all, 
as  long  as  morality  and  public  order  are  not  interfered 
with.  To  judge  by  Panama  and  Colon,  religion  is 
far  from  being  in  a  flourishing  condition.  Ecclesi- 
astically, the  whole  country  is  governed  by  a  bishop 
who  resides  at  Panama.  There  is  a  very  great  scar- 
city of  priests. 

Public  education  is  gratuitous,  and  primary  instruc- 
tion, obligatory.  Public  instruction  is  in  the  hand 
of  the  government.  There  are  two  normal  schools,  for 
the  education  of  teachers.  The  Christian  Brothers 
directed  one  normal  school,  but  this  has  been  recently 
taken  away  from  them,  the  government  being  opposed 
to  religion  in  the  schools.  A  university  is  in  process 
of  construction,  and  a  national  school  of  music  and 
elocution  exists  in  the  capital.  The  country  possesses, 
also,  private  educational  institutions,  such  as  the  semi- 
nary, San  Jose,  the  Immaculate  Conception,  Santa 
Teresa,  and  others. 

That  which  gives  to  Panama  its  special  interest  for 
us  is  the  canal.  The  possibility  of  such  an  excavation 
presented  itself  to  certain  minds,  shortly  after  the 
discovery,  and  Samuel  de  Champlain  refers  to  it,  in 
the  account  of  his  voyage  to  Mexico  and  the  West 
Indies.  The  possibility  began  to  assume  some 
semblance  of  reality,  when,  ]in  1853,  Gisborne,  an 
English  engineer,  surveyed  the  country,  from  Cale- 
donia to  the  Gulf  of  San  Miguel,  much  further  to 
the  east  than  the  present  location  of  the  canal.  The 
following  year,  English,  French,  American,  and  native 
expeditions  made  surveys.     Several  other  expeditions 


Panama  341 

followed  at  various  intervals,  until,  about  1878,  a  con- 
tract was  closed  with  the  "Inter  Oceanic  Canal  Com- 
pany," in  Paris.  Work  was  begun,  and  carried  on 
for  some  years,  until  the  disastrous  failure,  that  sent 
its  echo  over  the  world.  Then  came,  in  course  of  time, 
our  negotiations  with  Colombia,  the  Hay-Heran  treaty, 
the  revolt  of  Panama,  and  the  Hay-Bunau-Varilla 
treaty,  all  of  which  are  still  fresh  in  memory.  In 
virtue  of  the  last  named  treaty,  concluded  on  Novem- 
ber 18,  1903,  the  Eepublic  of  Panama  ceded  to  the 
United  States,  for  the  construction  and  service  of 
the  canal,  the  use,  occupation,  and  government  in  per- 
petuity of  a  piece  of  territory,  ten  miles  wide,  five  on 
either  side  of  the  central  line  of  the  canal,  between 
Colon  and  Panama,  or  from  the  Atlantic  to  the 
Pacific.  Although  the  cities  of  Colon  and  Panama 
are  not  included  in  the  cession,  quite  a  number  of  set- 
tlements fell  within  the  jurisdiction  of  the  United 
States. 

La  Boca  where  ships,  coming  from  the  Pacific,  are 
docked,  lies  within  the  Canal  Zone,  and  the  sanitary 
laws  of  the  place  are  made,  and  executed  by  the 
United  States.  The  adjacent  town  of  Balboa  has 
greatly  improved  under  American  administration.  A 
run  of  about  fifteen  minutes  in  the  train  brings  you 
into  Panama. 

As  you  enter  Panama,  with  its  negroes,  and  half 
naked  children,  you  feel  that  you  are,  indeed,  in  the 
tropics,  the  negroes'  paradise. 

Panama  is  an  old  city;  yet  it  is  not  the  original 
Panama,  which  is  now  a  ruin.  I  made  an  unsuccess- 
ful attempt  to  reach  it,  in  company  of  Archdeacon 
Bryan  of  Ancon  who  had  courteously  volunteered  to 
accompany  me. 


342  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

We  engaged  the  first  coachman  we  met,  after  leav- 
ing the  Hotel  Tivoll,  an  Italian.  Of  course,  he  knew 
all  about  the  way;  we  struck  a  bargain,  for  six  do!-, 
lars  silver,  and  our  guide  darted  off  with  alacrity. 
All  went  well,  until  we  were  some  distance  out  of  the 
city,  perhaps  about  half  way,  when  the  cataracts  of 
the  heavens  were  opened,  and  one  of  those  showers 
came  pouring  down  upon  us  that  you  find  nowhere 
but  in  the  tropics.  Still  we  held  to  the  route.  We 
soon  found  that  the  knowledge  of  our  coachman  was 
not  so  accurate,  as  it  had  appeared  to  be,  and  it  be- 
came necessary  to  apply  to  a  United  States  police  sta- 
tion for  information.  This  having  been  furnished,  we 
proceeded  a  little  further,  when  our  coachman  went 
on  a  strike.  I  must  admit,  that  the  prospects  were 
not  very  alluring.  The  rain  continued,  we  were  off 
the  road,  and  the  mud  was  deep.  It  was  useless  to 
reason,  and  we  permitted  the  driver  to  turn  back  for 
some  distance.  Then,  as  the  rain  ceased,  we  induced 
him  to  try  another  road.  He  went  as  far  as  he  could, 
poor  man!  We  then  alighted,  and  the  coachman 
promising  to  await  our  return,  we  continued  on  foot. 
Ascending  a  hill,  we  could  see  the  tower  of  old  Pan- 
ama in  the  distance.  Drawing  a  straight  line  toward 
it  by  eye,  on  we  went,  until  about  two  miles  away, 
when  the  declining  day  warned  us,  that  darkness 
would  overtake  us,  and  we  reluctantly  set  our  face 
homeward,  having  almost  reached  the  goal.  It  had 
been  necessary  to  spring  over  creeks,  and  wade 
through  marsh  and  mud,  and  we  presented  a  sorry 
appearance,  on  our  return  to  Ancon.  Should  I  ever 
attempt  this  journey  again  in  the  rainy  season,  it  will 
be  in  the  morning,  with  rain  coat  and  boots. 


Panama  343 

Dr.  Wolfrid  Nelson  ^  visited  these  ruins  a  number  of 
times.  He  tells  us,  that  the  difficulty  of  getting  about  in 
them  is  very  great,  and  the  danger  from  poisonous  snakes 
serious.  The  ruins  of  the  old  cathedral  of  St.  Athan- 
asius  are  the  best  preserved,  and  it  is  the  square 
tower  of  this  edifice  that  one  sees  from  a  great  dis- 
tance. The  entire  place  is  covered  with  a  dense  trop- 
ical growth,  concealing  the  numerous  wells,  that  pro- 
vided the  people  with  water.  The  foundations  and 
even  the  walls  of  some  of  the  houses  can  still  be  traced, 
but,  as  most  of  them  were  built  of  cedar,  they  perished 
in  the  conflagration.  Although  the  place  was  com- 
pletely rifled  by  Morgan,  and  what  he  left  was,  prob- 
ably, carried  away  by  the  inhabitants,  there  may  still 
be  some  objects  of  interest  and  value  buried  in  the 
depths  of  that  tropical  forest. 

Now  for  a  word  regarding  Old  Panama.  Diego  de 
Albites  and  Tello  de  Guzman  were  the  first  to  arrive 
at  a  little  fishing  village  on  the  Pacific  coast,  called 
by  the  natives  Panama,  some  miles  west  of  the  present 
capital.  Four  years  later,  Pedro  Arias  Davila  founded 
a  town  on  the  spot  with  the  same  name,  and,  in  1521, 
the  Emperor  Charles  V.  raised  it  to  the  dignity  of  a 
city.  The  government,  civil  and  ecclesiastical,  to- 
gether with  the  whole  population  of  Santa  Maria  la 
Antigua  del  Darien  were  moved  to  the  new  capital, 
and  the  older  city  ceased  to  exist. 

It  was  at  Panama  that  the  famous  contract  was 
entered  into  between  Pizarro,  Almagro,  and  de  Luque 
in  1525,  for  the  conquest  of  Peru.  Thus,  on  the  spot 
which  is  now  an  abandoned  wilderness,  with  crumbling 
ruins,  one  of  the  most  important  acts  in  the  history 
of  the  New  World  took  place. 


1  Five  years  at  Panama. 


344  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

The  old  city  was  one  of  the  finest  in  America,  with 
eight  convents,  of  which  one  belonged  to  nuns,  a  beau- 
tiful cathedral,  and  two  splendid  churches,  and  a  large 
hospital.  It  contained  about  five  thousand  two  hun- 
dred houses,  two  hundred  of  which  were  quite  elegant, 
and  of  European  aspect.  There  were,  also,  beautiful 
gardens  and  pleasure  resorts,  while  business  was  car- 
ried on  in  two  hundred  stores  and  shops. 

About  1669,  the  famous  pirate  Morgan  had  occupied 
Portobelo  on  the  Atlantic.  The  governor  of  Panama 
ordered  him  to  evacuate  it.  The  buccaneer  returned 
a  pistol,  saying,  that  with  that  weapon  he  had  cap- 
tured Portobelo,  and  that  he  would  soon  come  to 
Panama  to  take  it  back.  True  to  his  word,  he  left 
Chagres  in  January,  1671,  with  1,500  men,  crossed 
the  Isthmus,  and  arrived  at  the  capital.  The  Span- 
iards were  soon  overcome,  after  severe  fighting.  For 
three  weeks,  the  city  was  given  up  to  pillage,  at  the 
end  of  which,  it  was  destroyed  by  fire.  Thus  ended 
Old  Panama,  the  ruins  of  which,  buried  in  the  trop- 
ical bush,  on  the  shores  of  the  Pacific,  mark  the  site 
of  one  of  the  earliest  centres  of  colonization  in  America. 

About  three  years  later,  the  new  city  of  Panama 
was  founded  on  the  present  site  by  Don  Alonso  Mer- 
cado  de  Villa  Costa.  Surrounded  by  walls  and  for- 
tresses, it  presented  a  formidable  appearance  to  en- 
emies approaching,  either  by  sea,  or  by  land. 

The  city  lies  upon  a  small  peninsula,  bounded  on  the 
north  by  the  Bay  of  Panama,  on  the  east  and  south 
by  the  Pacific,  and,  on  the  west  by  the  land.  A  con- 
siderable proportion  of  the  present  city  has  grown  up 
beyond  where  the  land  fortifications  were.  Several 
of  the  old  monasteries  and  churches  are  now  in  ruins. 

A  walk  through  the  town  will  give  us  an  idea  of 
its  actual  condition.     We  begin  with  the  older  part, 


CATHEDRAL,  PANAMA 


Panama  345 

situated  on  the  peninsula.  A  portion  of  the  fortifica- 
tions on  the  seawall  still  exist,  the  interesting  old 
fort  being  used  as  a  prison.  From  what  I  could  learn, 
the  prison  system  of  Panama  leaves  much  to  be  de- 
sired; but  I  return  to  this  subject  later. 

The  Avenida  Central,  with  its  new  and  pretty 
houses,  presents  an  agreeable  appearance,  but,  gen- 
erally speaking,  the  city  possesses  an  air  of  antiquity, 
in  spite  of  the  many  conflagrations  to  which  it  has 
been  subject.  It  is  divided  into  three  harrios,  or 
quarters,  San  Felipe,  Caledonia,  and  Santa  Ana. 

The  houses,  mostly  two  or  more  stories  in  height, 
are  constructed,  for  the  greater  part,  of  rubble,  with 
the  remainder  of  wood.  The  streets  are,  as  a  rule, 
narrow.  In  those  leading  out  of  the  Plaza  Mayor,  or 
situated  in  its  vicinity,  there  are  many  places  of  busi- 
ness, such  as  steamship  agencies,  as  well  as  houses  of 
finance  and  commerce.  The  city  possesses,  also,  a 
number  of  industrial  establishments,  such  as  soap, 
candle,  and  chocolate  factories,  to  which  may  be  reck- 
oned the  ice  plant,  brandy  distilleries,  and  other  in- 
dustries. 

On  the  great  square  just  opposite  the  Hotel  Cen- 
tral, stands  the  cathedral,  a  large  edifice,  in  Spanish- 
American  style,  the  Kenaissance  facade  flanked  on  each 
side  by  a  square  tower,  built  in  several  stages  with 
pointed  roof.  The  interior  is  bare,  with  few  decora- 
tions, but  you  will  observe  a  number  of  mortuary  slabs 
with  inscriptions,  a  common  feature  in  the  churches 
of  Panama.  There  are,  also,  a  few  lateral  chapels. 
The  sanctuary  has  a  bishop's  throne,  but  no  stalls  for 
canons;  probably  because  there  are  no  canons.  Such 
is  the  scarcity  of  priests,  that  one  has  to  serve 
several  churches,  and,  even  in  the  cathedral,  there 
cannot  be  daily  Mass.     The  same  impression  of  de- 


346  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

cadence  is  made  here,  as  elsewhere  in  the  city.  There 
is  no  doubt,  that  Catholicity  in  Panama  needs  to  be 
shaken  up  a  little.  This  is  one  of  the  oldest  dioceses 
in  the  New  World,  dating  as  it  does,  from  the  year 
1519,  and  having  had  nearly  fifty  bishops,  nominated 
to  the  See,  since  the  beginning. 

The  most  distinguished  bishop  Panama  has  had  was 
the  historian  Lucas  Fernandez  de  Piedrahita.  He 
was,  probably,  the  first  bishop  appointed  to  the  new 
city.  A  descendant  in  the  female  line  of  the  Caciques 
of  Peru,  he  was  born  at  Bogota  in  1624.  After  spend- 
ing some  time  in  Spain,  he  became  bishop  of  Santa 
Marta,  whence  he  was  transferred  to  Panama  in  1676. 
Before  taking  possession  of  his  new  See,  he  fell  into 
the  hands  of  buccaneers,  who  took  him  to  Providence 
Island,  where  the  famous  Morgan,  at  that  time,  re- 
sided. The  pirate,  it  is  said,  moved  by  the  sight  of 
the  venerable  bishop,  gave  him  his  liberty.  Fernan- 
dez de  Piedrahita  is  known  especially  as  the  author 
of  a  History  of  New  Granada.  He  died  in  1688. 
There  is  no  vestige  of  his  tomb ;  but  I  was  told  by  the 
Very  Rev.  V.  G.  Sanguillen,  cura  of  Santa  Ana,  and 
vicar-general,  that  he  is  buried  beneath  a  store,  some- 
where near  the  ruins  of  the  old  Jesuit  Church.  His 
tomb  must  have  stood  within  the  precincts  of  the 
college. 

To  the  right  of  the  square,  as  you  face  the  cathedral, 
stands  the  bishop's  house,  in  which  some  kind  of  a 
seminary  is  conducted,  to  educate  young  men  for  the 
priesthood.  Old  Panama  was  in  possession  of  a  semi- 
nary, dedicated  to  St.  Augustine,  and  founded  in  the 
early  part  of  the  seventeenth  century,  by  the  Bishop 
Augustin  de  Carvajal. 

In  colonial  times,  the  new  city  of  Panama  possessed 
monasteries  of  Franciscans,  Dominicans,  the  order  of 


Panama  347 

La  Merced,  and  Descalced  Augustinians,  besides  a  col- 
lege of  the  Society  of  Jesus,  a  seminary,  and  a  uni- 
versity, founded  in  1751  by  Bishop  Francisco  Javier 
de  Lima  y  Victoria.  There  were,  also,  a  hospital  of 
St.  John  of  God,  and  a  convent  of  nuns  of  the  order 
of  the  Conception.    All  that  has  been  changed. 

The  church  of  San  Francisco  is  now  served  by  the 
Jesuits,  whose  new  residence  was  put  up  for  them  by 
the  government,  in  exchange  for  the  site,  upon  which 
the  fine  new  government  building  has  been  erected. 
The  old  Franciscan  monastery,  partly  in  ruins,  now 
serves  as  a  college,  conducted  by  the  Christian  Broth- 
ers. Though  bare  of  decorations,  and  gloomy,  San 
Francisco  is  one  of  the  best  churches  in  Panama.  The 
few  Jesuits  here  are  devoted  to  the  work  of  the  min- 
istry. This  group  of  buildings  overlooks  the  esplanade 
on  the  sea. 

The  church  and  monastery  of  St.  Dominic  is  now  a 
picturesque  ruin,  with  only  a  chapel  in  use.  The  old, 
roofless  church  is  pointed  out  to  the  stranger,  as  the 
"flat  arch"  ruin,  owing  to  one  of  its  arches  having  only 
a  slight  curve.  The  Dominicans  planned  and  built 
this  church.  The  story  goes,  that  the  arch  in  question 
fell  time  and  again,  until  it  was  built  on  its  present 
design.  It  is  almost  flat  along  the  centre,  and  quite 
unique  in  architecture. 

The  church  of  La  Merced  is  now  served  by  secular 
priests.  A  mortuary  chapel  just  outside,  with  a  num- 
ber of  slabs,  must  have  belonged  to  an  old  Colombian 
family.  They  say  that  this  church  was  built  to  a  great 
extent  from  material  taken  from  the  Merced  church  in 
old  Panama. 

The  only  old  church,  still  occupied  by  the  original 
Friars,  is  that  of  the  Descalced  Augustinians,  the 
church  of  San  Jos6.     It  is  true,  that  there  was  an 


348  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

interruption,  but  the  Spanish  Friars  have  returned, 
and  they  now  occupy  the  monastery  in  the  rear  of  the 
church. 

Not  far  away,  in  the  same  street,  the  Calle  de  San 
Jos6,  but  on  the  opposite  side,  stand  the  ruins  of  the 
Jesuit  church,  and  college,  near  which  Bishop  Fer- 
nandez de  Piedrahita  is  buried. 

This  college  was  completed  over  one  hundred  and 
seventy  years  ago,  being  a  substantial  building,  five 
stories  high.  The  old  ruined  doorway  on  the  Calle 
San  Jos6  is  quite  imposing.  In  1737,  the  building  was 
destroyed  by  fire,  at  the  same  time  as  the  churches  of 
San  Francisco  and  Santo  Domingo. 

The  church  of  Santa  Ana,  which  was  undergoing 
extensive  repairs,  on  the  occasion  of  my  visit,  and  of 
which  Padre  Sanguillen,  84  years  of  age,  was  pastor, 
is  one  of  the  oldest  of  the  city.  It  was  dedicated  by 
Bishop  Fernandez  de  Piedrahita. 

■  Another  very  old  church  is  that  of  San  Felipe  Neri, 
on  a  narrow  street  leading  into  the  Plaza  de  San 
Francisco.  Over  the  entrance,  one  reads  the  inscrip- 
tion: "San  Felipe  Neri.  1688."  The  old  monastery 
near  the  church  is  now  occupied  by  Sisters  of  Charity 
of  St.  Vincent  de  Paul.  The  main  front  is  walled  in, 
and  the  entrance  is  now  on  the  side. 

The  ruined  character  of  so  many  churches  and  mon- 
asteries in  Panama  and  Colombia  dates  from  the  time, 
some  sixty  years  ago,  when  the  Jesuits  and  other 
orders  were  expelled  from  Colombia,  and  everything 
was  permitted  to  fall  into  decay.  This,  no  doubt,  was, 
also,  one  of  the  causes  of  the  decline  of  religion. 

The  American  government  has  done  much  for  the 
sanitary  conditions  of  the  place,  among  other  things, 
by  paving  the  streets,  advancing  the  funds  for  the 
purpose. 


Panama  349 

American  influence  is  everywhere  noticeable,  and 
English  is  universally  spoken,  while  many  Americans, 
coming  from  the  Canal  Zone,  are  to  be  seen  in  the 
streets.  I  was  surprised  to  see  them  walking  about  in 
the  sun  at  all  hours  of  the  day,  apparently  heedless 
of  the  heat. 

A  short  drive  through  the  suburbs  will  bring  you 
to  the  hill  of  Ancon  in  the  Canal  Zone,  upon  which 
stands  the  Hotel  Tivoli,  the  property  of  the  Canal 
Commission  by  which  it  is  managed.  The  rates  are 
15.00  a  day,  but  much  lower  for  employees.  The 
Hotel  Tivoli  is  one  of  the  finest  in  Spanish  America, 
nor  have  I  seen  any  to  equal  it  outside  of  Buenos 
Aires.  It  is  a  relief  to  get  away  from  the  sweltering 
heat  of  the  city,  to  the  cool  breezes  of  Ancon,  and  to 
breathe  a  purer  atmosphere,  while  the  thin  wire  screens 
around  the  building  protect  you  competely  against 
the  attacks  of  mosquitoes.  The  Commission  is  mak- 
ing strenuous  efforts  to  exterminate  the  mosquito.  I 
did  not  see,  nor  feel  a  single  one,  during  the  week 
I  spent  on  the  Isthmus. 

The  manners  and  customs,  such  as  the  hour  of  meals, 
at  the  Tivoli  are  entirely  American,  and  very  unlike 
those  of  Spanish  hotels.  I  can  not  but  feel,  however, 
that  the  three  hearty  meals,  including  the  copious 
early  breakfast,  are  not  so  well  in  keeping  with  the  cli- 
mate, as  the  system  generally  prevailing  in  the  West 
Indies  and  South  America,  as  well  as  in  Latin  Europe. 

On  arriving  at  the  Tivoli,  after  coming  up  from 
South  America,  you  feel  as  though  you  had  reached 
home.  The  language  of  the  place  is  English,  although 
it  is  much  patronized  by  Spaniards.  To  send  a  letter 
home  from  the  Canal  Zone,  costs  you  two  cents,  whilo 
across  the  line  you  pay  five.  However,  the  stamps 
used  are  those  of  Panama,  with  "Canal  Zone"  printed 


350  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

on  them.  The  United  States  evidently  recognizes  the 
nominal  sovereignty  of  the  Eepublic. 

Just  behind  the  Tivoli,  a  stone's  throw  away,  is  sit- 
uated the  Ancon  hospital.  This  is  not  one  building, 
but  a  collection  of  buildings,  scattered  over  a  large 
area,  so  that  the  hospital  resembles  a  little  town.  It 
has  two  chapels,  a  Catholic,  served  by  one  of  the  Jes- 
uits, and  an  Episcopalian,  until  recently  in  charge  of 
Archdeacon  Bryan.  The  hospital  possesses  a  num- 
erous staff  of  doctors  and  nurses. 

One  of  the  buildings  serves  the  purpose  of  a  labora- 
tory for  experimenting  on  animals.  It  is  like  a  men- 
agerie, with  its  collection  of  rats,  monkeys,  guinea 
pigs  and  cats.  A  kind  of  sleeping  sickness,  prevalent 
among  animals,  formed  the  subject  of  investigation, 
on  the  occasion  of  my  visit. 

The  Ancon  hospital,  to  be  numbered  with  the  best 
in  America,  is  only  one  of  several  that  exist  in  the 
Canal  Zone. 


STATUE    OF    COLUMBUS^    CRISTOBAL 


Chapter  XXIII. 
THE  CANAL— COLON. 

Line  of  the  Canal — Wonderful  Change  in  Panama — Pacific  En- 
trance to  Canal — The  Locks — City  of  Colon — Prevalence  of 
English — Christ  Church — Catholic  Church — Washington 
Hotel — Government  of  Canal  Zone — Penal  System  of  Pana- 
ma— Cristobal — Portobelo — The  Clyde — Tracy  Robinson — 
Cartagena. 

After  much  talk,  much  deliberation,  and  much  sur- 
veying, from  the  early  days  of  the  sixteenth  century 
down,  in  1878,  the  exclusive  privilege  of  constructing 
the  Interoceanic  Canal  was  granted  by  the  Colombian 
government  to  the  "Civil  International  Interoceanic 
Canal  Society"  of  France.  In  1881,  operations  were 
begun  by  M.  de  Lesseps,  who  had  bought  the  privi- 
leges of  the  society.  The  labors  that  followed,  cul- 
minating in  a  disastrous  failure,  and  a  world-wide 
scandal,  have  sufficiently  been  written  up.  They  need 
not  be  repeated  here.  Suffice  it  to  say,  that  the  route 
and  plans  adopted  by  the  French  have,  in  the  main, 
been  followed  by  the  Americans.  In  general,  the  line 
across  the  Isthmus  is  that  of  the  railroad.  Beginning 
at  Colon,  the  old  French  canal  went  south  as  far  as 
Gatun  and  Dos  Hermanos,  somewhat  over  nine  miles 
from  the  mouth.  Then  it  continued  in  a  southeastern 
direction,  until  reaching  the  Pacific.  From  Dos  Her- 
manos to  Frijoles,  nearly  eight  miles  further,  the  line 
continues  to  ascend  to  a  height  of  forty  feet,  when 
making  a  bend,  it  proceeds  to  Mamei,  about  sixteen 
miles  further  on,  still  rising,  with  several  intervening 

351 


352  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

hills.  At  Matachln,  a  little  beyond,  there  is  another 
bend  to  the  south,  and  the  line  becomes  comparatively 
straight  as  it  continues  to  the  Pacific.  From  Mata- 
chin  to  Culebra,  the  land  is  very  undulating,  and,  at 
Culebra,  with  an  altitude  of  330  feet,  the  highest  on 
the  line,  the  descent  begins  to  Kio  Grande,  and  thence 
to  the  level  of  the  ocean.  The  French  had  the  inten- 
tion of  damming  the  Chagres  river,  which  the  canal 
meets  near  Gatun,  and  the  Americans  have  adopted 
their  plan.  The  first  intention  was  to  build  the  canal 
on  the  plan  of  tide-level,  but  M.  de  Lesseps  was  finally 
forced  to  adopt  the  lock  system,  which,  he  declared, 
was  to  be  only  temporary.  The  undertaking  was  a 
gigantic  one  even  for  a  nation  like  the  United  States, 
and,  as  one  beholds  the  old  French  machinery,  partly 
in  use,  or  partly  rusting  on  the  shores,  as  well  as  the 
house  occupied  by  de  Lesseps  at  Cristobal,  near  Colon, 
one  cannot  but  feel  sympathy  for  the  men  who  gave 
their  all  to  the  work,  and  for  the  thousands  who  left 
their  bones  in  Panama. 

At  the  end  of  seven  years,  it  seems  that  about  one- 
fifth  of  the  work  had  been  done,  at  an  expenditure  of 
over  $220,000,000.  Then  operations  began  to  slacken, 
until  the  final  crash  came. 

A  few  years  have  passed,  since  the  United  States 
bought  out  the  French  company,  and,  in  that  period 
of  time,  wonders  have  been  worked  on  the  Isthmus. 
In  the  first  place,  Panama,  from  a  sanitary  stand- 
point, is  no  longer  the  terror  of  the  world.  The  old 
ailments  have  been,  practically,  banished,  and  her 
gates  are  carefully  guarded  against  any  possible  in- 
vasion of  disease.  Towns,  settlements,  and  hospitals 
flourish  all  along  the  line,  and  the  world  looks  on,  and 
marvels,  that  the  dream  of  Angel  Saavedra  and  Samuel 
de  Champlain  will  soon  be  realized. 


The  Canal— Colon  353 

We  shall  cast  a  passing  glance  at  these  wonderful 
works,  as  we  cross  the  Isthmus;  but  the  Panama 
Canal  being  only  one  feature  of  this  work,  it  is  im- 
possible to  tarry  long  on  details. 

We  begin  with  the  opening  on  the  Pacific.  By  cour- 
tesy of  the  officials,  we  obtain  the  use  of  a  govern- 
ment launch,  and  steam  up  the  canal,  as  far  as  we 
can  go,  about  the  distance  of  five  miles.  This  old 
launch  has  a  history.  She  was  used  by  the  French 
who  called  her  the  "Petite  Louise."  Now  she  is  the 
"Louise."  Our  engineer  says,  that  she  is  growing, 
and  that  he  anticipates  that  she  will  soon  be  "Miss," 
and  then  "Madame  Louise." 

The  harbor  is  dredged,  and  the  canal  extends  some 
distance  out  into  the  bay,  beyond  Culebra  Island, 
and  the  Quarantine  station.  The  Pacific  opening  of 
the  canal  is  really  the  mouth  of  the  Rio  Grande  which, 
originating  at  Culebra,  and  receiving  several  small 
tributaries,  flows  down  to  the  Pacific.  The  canal  fol- 
lows approximately  the  course  of  the  Eio  Grande, 
with  which  it  generally  coincides,  until  its  junction 
with  the  Pedro  Miguel  river.  Constant  dredging  is 
going  on,  at  both  openings  of  the  canal,  on  the  Pacific, 
and  on  the  Atlantic. 

If  we  take  the  raliroad  at  Panama,  after  passing 
Corazal  station,  we  meet  the  canal  at  Miraflores,  to 
follow  it  approximately,  with  some  slight  deviations, 
until  the  Eio  Chagres  is  met  beyond  Buena  Vista.  At 
Gatun,  the  railroad  and  the  canal  come  together.  At 
Miraflores  the  first  locks  (double  flight)  are  in  course 
of  construction,  and,  a  little  further  on,  at  Pedro 
Miguel,  we  observe  the  single  flight  locks.  Further  on, 
at  Rio  Grande,  a  height  of  30  feet  above  the  sea  level 
is  attained,  and,  still  higher,  at  Culebra,  the  highest 
point  on  the  road,  an  altitude  of  330  feet  is  reached. 


354  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

Here  is  the  famous  Culebra  cut  through  tufa,  clay 
with  conglomerate  and  solid  rock.  The  width  of  the 
canal  is  here  300  feet,  but  it  widens  further  on,  until 
it  reaches  a  width  of  1,000  feet. 

Several  small  settlements  are  now  passed,  promi- 
nent among  which  are  Empire  and  Gorgona,  until  you 
enter  the  inundated  lands  which  are  forming  the  great 
Gatun  Lake,  made  by  damming  the  Chagres  river  at 
Gatun.  The  canal  will  flow  through  this  lake,  and 
the  railroad  will  be  removed  from  its  present  line, 
further  to  the  east.  At  Gatun,  a  little  beyond  the 
great  dam,  the  Gatun  locks  will  let  down  the  water 
to  sea  level,  as  the  canal  runs  to  the  Atlantic. 

The  railroad  passes  through  a  wilderness  of  trop- 
ical growth,  through  banana  plantations,  and  marsh- 
lands, broken  by  small  towns  and  settlements,  some 
large  enough  for  churches,  Catholic,  as  well  as 
Protestant. 

At  Gatun,  the  canal  instead  of  following  the  old 
French  works  which  ended  at  Cristobal,  runs  almost 
in  a  straight  line  into  Limon  Bay.  All  along  we  have 
been  traveling  in  the  Canal  Zone,  but  we  must  bear 
in  mind,  that  although  the  cities  of  Panama  and  Colon 
lie  geographically  within  the  Zone,  they  are  not  under 
American  jurisdiction  as,  together  with  their  harbors, 
they  were  excepted  in  the  Bunau-Varilla  treaty.  The 
town  of  Cristobal  near  Colon  is,  however,  like  Balboa 
on  the  Pacific,  a  portion  of  the  territory  ceded  to  the 
United  States. 

The  city  of  Colon,  on  Manzanillo  Island  in  Limon 
Bay,  but  practically  on  the  mainland,  is  the  capital 
of  Colon  province.  It  was  founded  in  1850  by  the 
Province  of  Panama,  and  named  in  honor  of  the  Dis- 
coverer of  America.  The  engineers  of  the  Panama 
railroad   insisted   on   calling   the   city   Aspinwall,   in 


LOCK  IN  THE  GATUN  DAM 


The  Canal — Colon  355 

honor  of  W.  H.  Aspinwall,  one  of  the  founders  of 
the  enterprise.  A  monument  to  him,  and  to  Stephens 
and  Chauncey,  the  other  founders  of  the  railroad, 
rises  above  the  ocean,  near  the  Washington  Hotel.  For 
a  long  time,  the  town  was  known  under  the  name  of 
Aspinwall  to  our  countrymen,  though  in  Panama,  and 
among  other  nations,  the  old  name  Colon  continued 
in  use,  and  finally  prevailed,  so  that  today  no  one 
thinks  of  using  the  name  Aspinwall.  This  was  finally 
brought  about  by  the  Colombian  government  which, 
in  1890,  decided  that  all  correspondence  addressed  to 
Aspinwall  should  be  returned  to  the  place  of  de- 
parture. 

Colon,  with  its  wooden  houses,  reminded  me  greatly 
of  one  of  our  seaside  resorts  on  the  Jersey  coast. 
There  are  very  few  houses  in  the  city  which  are  not 
of  wood,  and  they  nearly  all,  if  not  all,  are  posterior 
to  1885,  when,  during  one  of  the  periodical  revolu- 
tions of  Colombia,  the  entire  city  was  destroyed  by 
fire.  The  great  majority  of  the  population  is  of  the 
black  race,  and  such  an  accumulation  of  dregs  it 
would,  perhaps,  be  hard  to  discover  anywhere.  Eng- 
lish is  universally  spoken,  probably  more  than 
Spanish. 

One  of  the  finest,  probably  the  prettiest  edifice  in 
the  city  is  the  little  Episcopalian  "Christ  Church," 
of  which  "Father"  Cooper,  a  charming  gentleman  who 
wears  a  cassock  and  birretta  on  some  occasions,  and 
a  white  duck  suit  on  others,  is  rector.  Agreeable 
conversation  with  a  few  men  like  this  courteous  gen- 
tleman is  calculated  to  render  life  at  Colon  tolerable. 
The  church  was  erected  by  the  Panama  railroad  com- 
pany, after  the  completion  of  the  road.  It  is  a  stone 
edifice  in  the  Gothic  style.    The  majority  of  the  popu- 


356  La^nds  of  the  Southern  Cross 

lation  of  Colon  and  Cristobal  is,  I  understand,  Prot- 
estant, owing  to  the  very  large  number  of  foreigners. 

The  Catholic  Church,  a  new,  and  massive,  but  un- 
sightly stone  edifice  was  built  by  the  pastor's  own 
hands.  He  gathered  the  stones,  transported  them 
to  the  church,  and  finished  the  edifice,  as  architect, 
contractor,  hod  carrier,  and  general  workman,  all  at 
once.  I  was  told  all  this,  while  the  good  priest  was 
absent,  on  a  brief  vacation.  Father  Volk  enjoys  the 
esteem  of  Protestants  and  Catholics  alike.  A  man  of 
Apostolic  spirit,  he  leads  the  poorest  kind  of  a  life, 
living  in  the  sacristy,  and  working  like  a  Trojan.  It 
will  be  hard  for  any  clergyman  to  succeed  him.  Dur- 
ing his  absence,  his  place  was  taken  by  a  German 
priest  who,  at  one  time,  had  been  a  missionary  in 
Ecuador.  I  spent  almost  the  whole  of  a  Sunday,  as- 
sisting him,  and  my  heart  went  out  in  pity  for  the 
poor  man  who,  in  the  intolerable  heat  of  July,  had 
hardly  a  moment  to  himself,  being  called  upon  for  his 
ministrations,  at  every  hour  of  the  day. 

Not  far  from  Christ  Episcopal  Church,  stands  the 
old  Washington  Hotel,  where  you  may  get  a  room, 
with  the  use  of  a  bath,  for  f2.00,  on  the  European 
plan.  The  rooms  facing  the  bay  are,  of  course,  the 
most  agreeable,  as  the  breezes  from  the  sea  are,  con- 
stantly, playing  upon  the  porches,  and  there  is  always 
•something  to  interest  the  vision,  such  as  an  incoming, 
or  outgoing  ship,  the  dredging  steamer,  passing  to 
and  fro,  a  steam  launch,  on  its  way  to  Portobelo,  or 
an  Indian  canoe,  from  the  San  Bias  country.  Then 
the  surf  is  beating  upon  the  shore,  singing  the  mon- 
otonous song  of  "Old  Ocean,''  that  lulls  the  weary 
traveler  to  sleep.  It  is  along  the  beach,  that  the  most 
pleasant  part  of  Colon  is  located,  and  here  you  will 


The  Canal— Colon  357 

find  most  of  the  steamship  agencies.    The  water  front 
runs  all  the  way  to  Cristobal. 

The  Washington  Hotel  which  is,  in  no  way,  to  be 
compared  to  the  Tivoli  at  Ancon,  is  managed  by  Mr. 
Murphy  for  the  Panama  Kailroad,  which,  really, 
means  for  the  United  States  government.  The  old 
Panama  railroad  which  De  Lesseps  absolutely  needed 
to  carry  on  his  work,  and  which,  practically,  con- 
trolled all  transportation  across  the  Isthmus,  at  enor- 
mous prices,  was  purchased  by  him  at  the  rate  of  over 
12,000  a  share,  for  |17,500,000.  When,  in  1902,  the 
American  government  bought  for  |40,000,000  the  en- 
tire canal  property,  the  railroad  came  with  it,  and, 
of  course,  the  old  Washington  hotel  followed  suit. 

The  government  of  the  Canal  Zone  is,  probably,  the 
most  paternal,  I  might  almost  say,  socialistic,  govern- 
ment in  existence.  With  a  population  of  from  fifty 
to  sixty  thousand,  the  Canal  Commission  is  admin- 
istering this  strip  of  land  in  a  manner  that  well  may 
serve  as  an  object  lesson  for  the  world.  In  the  Canal 
Zone,  Uncle  Sam  is  hotel  keeper,  caterer,  grocery  man, 
housebuilder  and  furnisher,  baker,  dairyman,  laundry 
man,  confectioner,  tailor,  telephone  and  telegraph 
operator,  railroad  engineer,  steamboat  captain,  doctor 
and  clergyman.  What  more  do  you  want?  The  peo- 
ple are  satisfied,  and  the  world  is  benefitted.  Even 
though  five  cents  a  mile  is  charged  on  the  railroad, 
and  strangers  must  pay  |5.00  a  day  at  the  Tivoli, 
one  does  not  begrudge  this,  in  view  of  the  immense 
advantages  likely  to  accrue. 

Then,  remember  the  vast  sanitary  improvements. 
Time  was,  when  the  name  Panama  stood  synonimous 
for  fever,  pestilential  diseases,  and  death.  "Upon  get- 
ting to  Panama,'  wrote  Wolfred  Nelson,  a  little  more 
than  twenty  years  ago,  "the  Dean  of  the  Medical  Fac 


358  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

ulty,  a  Colombian,  neatly  divided  the  seasons  as  fol- 
lows: He  said  to  me:  'First  you  have  the  wet  sea- 
son, lasting  from  about  the  fifteenth  of  April  to  the 
fifteenth  of  December,  when  people  die  of  yellow  fever 
in  four  or  five  days.  Next  you  have  the  dry  or  healthy 
season,  from  December  15,  to  April  15,  when  people 
die  of  pernicious  fever  in  from  twenty-four  to  thirty- 
six  hours!'  Five  years  as  a  practitioner  of  medicine 
at  Panama  amply  confirmed  his  views,  and  it  is  the 
best  division  of  the  seasons  that  I  know  of." 

When  these  words  were  written,  the  history  of  the 
Panama  railroad,  and  of  the  French  canal  had,  al- 
ready, been  written  in  letters,  made  of  dead  men's 
bones.  As  many  as  forty  per  cent,  of  the  canal  em- 
ployees had,  at  various  times,  been  carried  off,  and 
funeral  trains  constituted  a  regular  department  of  the 
road.  During  two  seasons  of  epidemic,  the  burials  are 
said  to  have  averaged  from  thirty  to  forty  per  day. 
The  Colon  cemetery,  ''Mount  Hope,"  generally  known 
as  "Monkey  Hill,"  contains  thousands  upon  thousands 
of  those  days,  who  are  there  sleeping  their  last  sleep. 
All  that  has  been  changed  by  the  sanitary  depart- 
ment, the  work  of  which  will  hand  down  to  posterity 
the  name  of  that  great  organizer,  Col.  W.  C.  Gorgas. 

Although  the  bulk  of  mortality  is  still  in  the  negro 
population,  within  five  years,  the  death  rate,  even 
among  persons  of  that  race,  was  reduced  from  120, 
to  30,  per  1,000.  The  Canal  Zone  is,  today,  the  health- 
iest spot  between  the  tropics  of  Capricorn  and  Cancer, 
in  the  Eastern  and  Western  Hemispheres.  The  death 
rate  is  lower,  not  only  than  that  of  such  places,  as 
Madras,  Bombay,  Calcutta,  Cairo,  and  Alexandria, 
but,  also,  of  New  Orleans,  Venice,  St.  Petersburg,  and 
Moscow.^     This  sanitary  improvement  has  extended 


iThe  Conquest  of  the  Isthmus.     Hugh  C.  Weir,  p.   18-19, 
New  York,  1909. 


The  Canal— Colon  359 

beyond  the  Canal  Zone,  as  the  United  States  must 
see  to  it  that,  for  the  sake  of  the  canal,  and  of  human- 
ity, its  protege,  the  infant  republic  of  Panama,  remain 
in  a  healthy  condition. 

Yet,  there  are  reasons  to  believe  that,  like  many  a 
naughty  child,  the  'Teople"  chafe  somewhat  under  the 
rule  of  its  tutor.  Thinking  minds,  of  course,  feel 
grateful  to  the  United  States,  but  it  is  hard  sometimes 
to  make  a  child  who  has  been  washed  and  dressed 
understand,  that  it  is  to  his  advantage  to  be  subject 
to  tutelage. 

There  is  one  thing  in  the  Kepublic  of  Panama  that 
should  receive  serious  attention  on  the  part  of  econ- 
omists, and  philanthropists.  I  mean  the  penal  sys- 
tem. I  did  not  see  the  prison  at  Panama,  and  I  am 
not  going  to  write  of  it,  merely  on  hearsay,  but  the 
shrieks  of  the  women  prisoners  in  Colon  have  come  to 
me,  on  very  reliable  authority.  Of  course,  quite  a 
proportion  of  these  women  criminals  are  little  better 
than  animals,  and,  perhaps,  nothing  suits  them  better 
than  the  rod.  Yet  cruelty  is  not  at  all  in  keeping  with 
our  present  ideas  of  civilization,  though  I  have  no 
doubt  that  much  of  it  exists,  even  among  the  most 
civilized  nations  of  the  earth. 

I  had  been  told  of  the  flogging  of  women  whose 
cries  often  made  night  hideous  for  the  dwellers  in  the 
vicinity  of  the  jail.  The  Catholic  Church  adjoins  the 
prison.  I  was  seated  in  the  sacristy,  one  Sunday 
afternoon,  when  the  unearthly  shrieks  of  a  woman 
broke  upon  my  ears.  I  am  not  at  all  in  sympathy 
with  any  kind  of  cruelty,  and  my  blood  began  to  boil. 
Kushing  out,  on  the  spur  of  the  moment,  I  looked 
through  the  bars  of  the  building,  to  see  several  laugh- 
ing officials,  who,  apparently,  had  just  inflicted  the 
punishment.    I  went  further,  and  inquired  of  a  black 


360  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

policeman  at  the  door  what  was  the  cause  of  the 
cries.  He  told  me  to  go  in  and  find  out.  Eeflecting, 
that  discretion  is  the  better  part  of  valor,  and,  not 
wishing  to  push  my  "knight-errantry"  to  the  extent 
of  coming  into  physical  contact  with  the  guards,  I 
contented  myself  with  pressing  the  question,  until  I 
obtained  an  admission,  that  a  woman  had  been  flogged. 
It  appears  to  me  that  the  United  States  authorities 
might  induce  the  government  of  Panama  to  take  this 
matter  in  hand,  and  examine,  not  only  into  the  inflic- 
tion of  corporal  punishment,  but,  also,  into  the  general 
conduct  of  the  prisons.  A  thing  or  two  might  be 
discovered  quite  capable  of  improvement. 

Let  us  return  to  the  Hotel  Washington.  The  old  build- 
ing had  a  very  narrow  escape,  one  day,  when  I  was 
taking  my  lunch  in  the  dining  room.  A  tropical  storm, 
with  thunder  and  lightning,  had  been  brewing  for  some 
time,  when,  suddenly,  there  was  a  frightful  crash.  The 
lightning  had  struck  the  room,  barely  missing  the 
manager,  who  had  just  hung  up  the  telephone  receiver. 
The  current  set  fire  to  one  of  the  beautiful  cocoanut 
trees,  in  front  of  the  hotel,  and  passed  through  one 
of  the  glazed  windows.  The  alarm  being  given,  the 
fire  brigade  from  Cristobal  came  tearing  along,  with 
the  little  Colon  company,  also  anxious  to  assist.  The 
fire  was  soon  extinguished. 

The  southern  portion  of  Colon,  Cristobal,  was  built 
by  the  French.  Here  still  exists  the  old  De  Lesseps' 
house,  utilized,  at  present,  for  offices  of  administra- 
tion, by  the  Canal  Commission.  A  statue  of  bronze, 
representing  Columbus,  with  a  stooping  figure  at  his 
side,  typifying  America,  stands  before  the  house. 
Modeled  in  Italy,  by  Vicente  Vela,  it  was  presented 
by  the  Empress  Eugenie  to  the  Eepublic  of  Colombia 
in   1866,  and,   the  following  year,  before  being  for- 


The  Canal— Colon  361 

warded  to  its  destination,  it  figured  in  the  Paris 
Exposition.  Cristobal  now  lies  within  the  Canal 
Zone.  Among  the  many  objects  of  interest  it  offers  to 
the  visitor,  is  the  immense  cold  storage  plant  in  which 
you  may  pass  suddenly,  if  you  wish,  from  a  torrid 
climate,  to  an  almost  arctic  temperature. 

If  you  visit  Colon,  you  will  hear  much  of  Portobelo, 
in  the  neighborhood  of  which  stone  is  quarried  by  the 
canal  people,  and  with  which  there  is  constant  com- 
munication by  steam  launch  from  Cristobal.  It  lies 
northeast  of  Colon,  on  Portobelo  bay,  with  a  burning, 
damp,  and  unhealthy  climate.  Its  name  was  given 
by  Columbus  who  discovered  it  in  1502,  naming  it 
Puerto  Bello,  or  beautiful  harbor.  It  became,  later 
on,  known  as  San  Felipe  de  Portobelo.  The  harbor 
was  defended  by  four  fortresses,  San  Felipe  on  the 
north,  Santiago  de  la  Gloria  on  the  south,  with  San 
Jeronimo  and  San  Cristobal  inside  the  port.  They 
were  consructed  by  the  celebrated  engineer  Juan  B. 
Antonelli,  in  the  reign  of  Philip  II.  In  the  days, 
when  the  Spanish  galleons  carried  their  precious 
freight  from  the  "Indies"  homeward,  Portobelo  was 
one  of  the  most  populous  cities  in  the  world,  and  its 
great  fair  which  lasted  sixty  days  was  famous. 

In  spite  of  its  fortifications,  Portobelo  was  several 
times  invaded,  among  other  occasions,  by  Drake  in 
1596,  and  Morgan  in  1669.  It  capitulated  in  1742  to 
Admiral  Vernon  who  destroyed  the  fortifications.  In 
1751,  they  were  rebuilt  by  Don  Ignacio  de  Sala,  gov- 
ernor of  Cartagena.  The  old  forts  of  Portobelo  are, 
probably,  among  the  most  interesting  relics  of  the 
colonial    period    in    America. 

I  do  not  regret  my  sojourn  upon  the  Isthmus, 
though  it  was  of  longer  duration  than  I  had  intended 
it  to  be,  owing  to  the  fact,  that  I  could  not  find  an 


362  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

earlier  opportunity  to  reach  Cartagena.  Several  steam- 
ship lines  communicate  regularly  with  Colombian 
ports.  You  may  go  to  Cartagena,  by  the  Eoyal  Mail 
Steam  Packet  Company,  the  Compagnie  Generale 
Transatlantique,  or  the  Hamburg  American  (Atlas), 
Line,  and  to  Santa  Marta  by  the  United  Fruit  Com- 
pany's steamers.  However,  there  is  no  alternative: 
you  must  either  risk  sweltering  in  old  Cartagena  for 
about  two  weeks,  or  be  content  with  a  few  hours, 
and  so  I  chose  the  latter,  when  the  Royal  Mail  steamer, 
the  old  Clyde,  with  Captain  Dix  as  commander,  was 
about  to  depart  for  Europe,  via  the  West  Indies.  I 
took  my  ticket  for  Barbados,  paying  |40.00  for  it. 
With  all  respect  to  the  Clyde,  and  the  Royal  Mail, 
I  must  say  that  the  days  spent  between  Colon  and 
Barbados  were  the  least  agreeable  of  all  those  passed 
on  the  water.  The  agents  had  promised  to  give  me  a 
room  alone.,  but,  as  the  ship  was  crowded,  the  promise 
could  not  be  complied  with.  Further,  the  stateroom 
was  situated  on  the  lower  deck,  and,  morever,  it  was 
an  inside  one.  My  companion  in  the  upper  berth 
seemed  to  find  the  air  from  the  skylight  too  strong 
for  him,  and  so  the  opening  was  generally  closed.  As 
for  the  electric  fan,  its  buzzing  was  the  only  indica- 
tion of  its  presence.  At  night  the  heat  was  so  intense, 
that  I  was  glad,  sometimes,  to  creep  on  deck  at  two 
in  the  morning,  for  a  whiff  of  fresh  air. 

One  of  my  fellow-passengers  was  Mr.  Tracy  Robin- 
son, who,  probably,  knows  more  of  Panama  by  experi- 
ence, than  any  other  American  on  the  Isthmus.  Com- 
ing to  Panama  in  the  days  of  "49,"  he  has  lived 
through  the  vicissitudes  of  the  last  sixty  years,  and  he 
is  still  a  young  old  man,  and  an  entertaining  com- 
panion. His  varied  experiences  have  given  us  an 
Sostructive,  and  entertaining  book  on  Panama. 


The  Canal — Colon  363 

The  stretch  of  the  journey  from  Colon  to  Cartagena, 
lasting  from  about  eleven  a.  m.,  until  the  next  morn- 
ing, was  disagreeable,  owing  to  the  long  swells,  that 
kept  the  old  Clyde  pitching  at  a  high  rate,  and  gave 
to  a  large  proportion  of  the  passengers  who  were  not 
actually  sea  sick,  as  they  reclined  on  their  steamer 
chairs,  that  pale,  disgusted  look,  which  indicates  the 
border  line  of  old  Neptune's  characteristic  domain. 
The  "brave  sailor"  who  passes  this  neutral  territory 
has  a  hard  time  of  it.  He  hates  to  acknowledge  to 
himself,  and  still  less  to  others,  that  he  feels  sick, 
and  so  he  often  swallows  his  mortification,  and  his 
saliva  in  silence,  with  a  kind  of  compromise  with 
his  stomach. 

I  am  sure,  that  all  were  delighted,  when  the  steamer 
ran  into  the  bay  of  Cartagena,  early  the  following 
morning.  Two  old  forts  stand,  like  antiquated  war- 
dogs,  at  the  entrance  to  the  harbor,  which  is  very 
narrow,  the  former  entrance  having  been  blocked 
long  ago.  The  towers  of  the  city  loom  up  in  the  dis- 
tance, with  the  heights  above,  crowned  by  the  old 
abandoned  monastery  of  La  Popa,  which,  at  one  time, 
belonged  to  the  Descalced  Augustinians.  The  old 
church  is  still  in  use,  and,  on  February  2,  the  feast  of 
the  Candelaria  awakens  the  venerable  building,  when 
the  pious  "Carthaginians"  flock  to  it,  to  practice  their 
devotions. 

You  may  give  free  rein  to  your  imagination,  as  you 
steam  up  the  bay,  and  still  see  the  "silver  fleet,"  in 
the  days  of  Spanish  grandeur,  that  used  to  rendezvous 
here,  before  crossing  the  Atlantic.  Many  and  many  an 
illustrious  name  that  has  figured  in  the  history  of 
South  America  has  been  pronounced  in  this  old 
harbor. 


364  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

As  you  muse  thus,  your  illusions  will  soon  be 
dispelled  by  the  sight  of  an  old  wrecked  steamer  of 
the  Columbian  navy,  and  of  a  dapper  little  gunboat, 
still  in  active  service.  It  is  July  20,  the  anniversary 
of  Columbian  Independence,  and  the  little  man-of-war 
will  fire  a  salute  to  inaugurate  the  celebration. 

Our  steamer  runs  up  to  the  dock,  and,  as  soon  as 
we  can,  we  go  ashore  to  take  the  little  train  which, 
in  four  minutes,  will  land  us  at  the  gates  of  Cartagena. 
It  costs  us  five  cents  of  our  money. 

The  first  thing  I  do  is  to  go  in  search  of  Mr. 
Fearon  for  my  mail.  As  the  business  places  are 
closed,  I  engage  a  carriage,  and  drive  past  crumbling 
fortifications,  to  the  tropical  suburb  of  "La  manga." 
My  friend  lives  in  a  picturesque  villa,  thoroughly  trop- 
ical in  its  architecture.  Not  only  does  he  receive  me 
with  courtesy,  seldom  wanting  in  those  regions,  but 
he  returns  with  me  to  the  city,  to  show  me  the  old 
walls,  Cartagena's  most  distinctive  feature. 


Chapter  XXIV. 
COLOMBIA. 

Geography — Climate — Resources — History — Population — Gov- 
ernment— Religion — Bogota' — How  to  Reach  It — Literature 
and  Education — Leprosy — The  Army — Currency — Carta- 
gena— The  Cathedral — Santo  Domingo — San  Pedro  Claver 
— The  University — San  Francisco — Old  Houses — Puerto 
Colombia — Cannibals — The  Coast  of  Venezuela. 

The  Kepublic  of  Colombia  occupies  the  northwest- 
ern portion  of  the  South  American  continent,  reach- 
ing below  the  fifth  parallel  south  of  the  equator,  and 
above  the  twelfth  north  of  the  line.  On  the  south, 
the  river  Amazon  separates  it  from  Brazil,  and  one 
of  the  tributaries  of  this  great  river  is  the  line  that 
parts  it  from  Ecuador.  The  Pacific  ocean  washes 
its  shores,  up  to  the  point  where  the  Isthmus  juts  out 
from  the  continent,  while  beyond  the  Isthmus,  its  north- 
ern coast  lies  on  the  Caribbean  Sea.  Brazil  and  Vene- 
zuela lie  on  its  eastern  boundaries.  The  southern 
portion  of  the  Republic,  in  the  great  valley  of  Cauca, 
is  watered  by  innumerable  streams,  affluents  of  the 
Amazon. 

Colombia  is  the  only  country  in  South  America,  if 
you  except  the  Isthmus  of  Panama,  that  has  ports  on 
the  Atlantic,  as  well  as  on  the  Pacific.  On  entering 
Colombia,  the  Andes  chain  is  divided  into  tw^ 
branches,  the  western  following  the  coast,  and  the 
eastern  stretching  into  vast  tablelands,  and  again  sep- 
arating into  two  parallel  ranges,  between  which  the 

365 


366  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

Magdalena  flows  down  to  the  Caribbean.  The  Sierra 
Nevada  of  Santa  Marta,  reaching  an  altitude  of  7,926 
meters,  is  distinct  from  the  Andes.  Many  and  large 
rivers,  some  flowing  into  the  Amazon,  others,  through 
Venezuela  to  the  Orinoco,  and  the  rest  into  the  At 
lantic,  water  the  territory  of  the  Kepublic. 

On  the  Atlantic  coast,  a  tropical  climate  prevails, 
but,  generally  speaking,  Colombia  enjoys  a  perpetual 
spring,  with  alternating  dry  and  wet  seasons,  that 
seem  gradually  to  melt  into  each  other  every  three 
months.  Owing,  however,  to  the  high  altitudes  of  its 
mountains,  every  climate  can  be  found  in  Colombia, 
from  the  extreme  heat  of  the  torrid  zone,  to  the  icy 
temperatures  of  northern  lands.  It  is,  especially,  on 
the  extensive,  and  fertile  tablelands,  where  two  or 
three  crops  a  year  may  be  raised,  that  the  climate  is 
always  mild,  with  the  temperature  of  spring. 

Colombia,  with  its  outlets  on  two  oceans,  and  with 
its  variety  of  climates,  has,  probably,  more  natural 
advantages,  than  any  other  South  American  country. 
Its  resources  are  innumerable,  and  all  that  it  needs 
are  capital  and  labor.  Its  mineral  wealth  is  immense. 
Gold  is  everywhere,  and,  therefore,  if  any  country  de- 
serves the  title  of  ^'El  Dorado,"  Colombia  does.  Silver, 
iron,  magnesia,  alum,  asphaltum,  coal,  sulphur,  and 
rock  salt  go  to  form  the  mineral  deposits  of  this  rich 
country,  while  diamonds  have  been  found  in  many 
places,  and  the  emerald  mines  of  Muzo  are  far  famed. 

On  the  great  streams,  immense  forests  cover  the 
land,  many  of  which  are,  almost,  impenetrable;  but 
they  abound  with  valuable  woods  of  every  description. 
As  to  agriculture,  its  resources  can  hardly  be  over- 
estimated. In  the  hot  lands,  cocoa,  bananas,  sugar 
cane,  tobacco,  indigo,  rice,  and  other  tropical  products 
are  cultivated.    There  are  coffee  plantations,  and  the 


Colombia  367 

most  delicately  flavored  coffee  in  the  world  is  said 
to  be  that  of  the  Chimbi  estates  in  Cundimamarca.  In 
the  higher  altitudes,  equal  to  the  climate  of  the  tem- 
perate zone,  wheat,  barley,  oats,  potatoes,  and  other 
products  of  more  northern  lands  are  grown.  Thus 
you  advance  through  the  region  of  the  cedar,  and  the 
pine,  until  you  reach  those  altitudes  where  you  find 
an  arctic  vegetation. 

The  great  prairies,  or  llanos,  eastward  of  the  Cor- 
dilleras, and  extending  to  the  borders  of  Venezuela 
and  Brazil,  not  only  afford  excellent  pasturage,  but, 
with  their  fertile  soil,  could  be  rendered  most  pro- 
ductive. Unfortunately,  all  this  prospective  wealth  is 
hidden  away,  for  Colombia  is  a  very  undeveloped 
country,  in  spite  of  the  fact,  that  it  was  one  of  the 
first  known  to  Europeans. 

Discovered,  in  1499,  by  Columbus,  it  was  colonized 
at  an  early  period,  and  we  find  some  of  the  cities,  like 
Popayan,  Tunja,  Santa  Marta,  Cartagena,  and  Santa 
Fe  de  Bogota,  figuring  conspicuously  in  the  early 
history  of  Spanish  colonization. 

Known  as  New  Granada,  it  constituted  a  vice- 
royalty,  in  the  eighteenth  century,  with  the  viceroy's 
seat  at  Bogota.  On  July  20,  1810,  New  Granada  de- 
clared itself  independent.  Until  1831,  together  with 
Venezuela,  anl  Ecuador,  it  formed  the  Great  Re- 
public of  Colombia,  becoming,  in  that  year,  under 
a  separate  organization,  the  Republic  of  New  Granada. 
From  1858  to  1860,  it  was  a  federal  republic,  under 
the  designation  of  Granadine  Confederation.  Then  it 
became  the  United  States  of  New  Granada,  until 
1863,  when  it  was  called  the  United  States  of  Colom- 
bia. In  1886,  it  assumed  its  present  title  of  Republic 
of  Colombia.  The  country  has  passed  through  many 
revolutions,  and  civil  wars,  having  vice-presidents, 
presidents,  or  dictators  at  the  head  of  the  government. 


368  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

The  population  of  Colombia  is  about  4,500,000,  with- 
out counting  some  200,000  living  on  disputed  terri- 
tory. This  population  consists  of  pure  whites,  de- 
scendants of  the  Spaniards,  the  civilized  Indians, 
mostly  in  the  mountains,  some  uncivilized  Indians  in 
the  forests,  negroes,  especially  on  the  coast,  and  in  the 
river  valleys,  and  a  large  number  of  persons  of  mixed 
blood.  Of  emigrants,  in  the  ordinary  sense  of  the 
term,  comparatively  few  are  found  in  Colombia. 

The  Kepublic,  divided  into  fifteen  departments,  the 
District  of  the  Capital,  one  in  tendency,  and  one  na- 
tional territory,  is  governed  by  a  president,  nominated 
by  Congress,  for  a  period  of  four  years.  He  is  assisted 
by  six  cabinet  ministers,  who  are  responsible  for  his 
official  acts,  while,  strange  to  say,  the  president  him- 
self cannot  be  held  responsible.  He  possesses  a  wide 
range  of  power  which,  in  time  of  war,  is  dictatorial. 
As  the  government  is  centralized,  h|e  controls  the 
whole  country,  with  the  governors  of  departments, 
and  so  on. 

Congress  consists  of  a  Senate,  with  forty-eight  mem- 
bers, and  a  House  of  Deputies,  three  for  the  Capital 
District,  and  for  each  department.  In  the  judicial 
department,  we  find  municipal,  and  circuit  courts, 
higher  district  courts,  and  a  Supreme  Court. 

The  religion  of  the  country  is  Eoman  Catholic ;  but 
while  the  government  sustains  the  Church,  the  civil 
and  ecclesiastical  powers  are  regarded  as  independent 
of  each  other.  In  1887,  a  Concordat  was  established 
between  Pope  Leo  XIII.  and  the  President  of  the 
Republic,  by  which  all  questions  of  Church  and  state 
were  satisfactorily  settled. 

The  hierarchy  consists  of  four  archbishops,  nine 
bishops,  and  three  vicars  apostilic.    Besides  the  arch- 


ColomMa  369 

bishop  of  Bogota  who  is  the  Primate  of  Colombia,  the 
other  archbishops  are  those  of  Popayan,  Cartagena, 
and  Medellin.  A  considerable  number  of  Religious 
Orders,  such  as  Franciscans,  Dominicans,  Augustin- 
ians.  Capuchins,  Jesuits,  Eedemptorists,  Salesians, 
Lazarists,  Eudists,  Marists,  and  Christian  Brothers, 
devote  themselves  to  the  work  of  education,  and  of 
missions. 

Bogotd,  founded  as  Santa  Fe  in  1538,  by  Gonzalo 
Jimenez  de  Quesada,  is  the  capital  of  the  Republic. 
It  became  the  seat  of  the  viceroy  of  New  Granada  in 
1718.  Up  to  that  time,  from  1598,  it  had  been  merely 
a  presidency,  becoming  such  again  in  1724,  until  1740, 
when  the  vice-royalty  was  definitely  settled  upon  it. 
Situated  at  the  foot  of  the  mountains  of  Monserrat 
and  Guadalupe  in  the  eastern  branch  of  the  Andes, 
Bogota  is  at  an  altitude  of  1,640  meters  above  sea 
level.  With  a  population  of  120,000,  it  is  divided 
into  nine  parishes. 

A  recent  author,  writing  of  Bogota,  says:  '^If  we 
could  go  to  sleep  in  Washington,  and  wake  up  next 
morning  in  Santa  Fe  de  Bogota  our  first  impressions 
of  the  quaint  old  city  would  hardly  be  favorable ;  and, 
as  first  impressions  are  generally  lasting,  the  proba- 
bilities are  that  we  should  never  learn  to  like  the 
place.  But  after  a  month's  journey,  such  as  I  have 
attempted  to  describe,  one  is  generally  in  a  frame  of 
mind  to  appreciate  almost  any  change,  particularly 
if,  as  in  the  present  case,  it  be  for  the  better. 

"Our  first  impressions  of  Bogotd  are  those  of  sur- 
prise and  admiration — surprise  at  finding  so  large  a 
city  perched  up  in  the  heart  of  the  Andes  fully  six 
hundred  miles  from  anywhere,  and  admiration  of  the 
surpassing  natural  beauty  of  the  locality.  Our  next 
impressions  are  that  it  is  one  of  the  most  quiet,  con- 


370  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

servative,  slothful,  and  restful  places  on  the  face  of 
the  earth,  conditions  which  one  appreciates  all  the 
more  after  the  hard  experiences  of  the  long  journey 
from  the  coast.  After  a  day  or  two  we  discover  that 
the  climate  is  simply  perfect,  and  that  the  matchless 
scenery  never  palls  upon  us.  In  the  course  of  a  few 
days  more,  we  discover  that  many  highly  educated 
and  accomplished  people  live  here;  that  there  is  an 
Inner  circle  of  society  equal  to  the  best  in  Washing- 
ton ;  and  that  the  inhabitants  are  generally  kind,  con- 
siderate, and  hospitable.  And  so  it  is  that  strangers 
generally  like  the  place,  leave  it  with  more  or  less 
reluctance,  and  rarely  fail  to  cherish  the  most  pleasant 
memories  of  it."  ^ 

The  city  lies  on  the  slopes  of  the  mountain  with 
streets  crossing  each  other  at  rectangles,  and  running 
from  east  to  west,  and  from  north  to  south.  As  in 
our  American  cities,  they  are  numbered.  The  cathe- 
dral is  said  to  occupy  the  site  of  the  chapel  established 
by  Quesada,  when  he  founded  the  city.  The  house, 
the  oldest  in  Bogota,  in  which  he  lived  and  died  is 
still  in  existence.  Besides  the  cathedral,  there  are 
twenty-four  other  churches,  and  several  chapls,  with  a 
nnmbr  of  convents.  Unlike  Santiago  and  Lima,  the 
original  monasteries  of  Bogotd  have  for  years,  since 
the  revolution  of  1860,  been  devoted  to  secular  pur- 
poses. The  Protestants  have,  also,  a  church  in  this 
city. 

Bogota  possesses  several  universities,  academies, 
and  colleges,  theatres,  an  astronomical  observatory,  a 
National  Library,  a  Museum,  and  other  important 
buildings.  From  colonial  times  down  it  has  been  a 
literary  centre,  and,  even  today,  literature  of  a  lighter 


iThe    Colombian    and    Venezuelan    Republics.      William    L. 
Scruggs,  Boston,  1905. 


Colomhia  3^1 

vein  flourishes  greatly  in  Colombia.  A  centre  of  learn- 
ing in  colonial  times,  with  its  university  and  its 
famous  College  of  the  Holy  Rosary,  it  witnessed,  to- 
ward the  end  of  the  eighteenth  century,  a  revival  of 
studies  in  the  natural  sciences,  under  the  impulse 
given  by  Jos6  C^lestino  Mutis  and  Jos6  de  Caldas.  A 
statue  has  been  recently  erected  to  the  latter  who 
perished  for  the  cause  of  Colombian  independnce. 

There  are  not  wanting  many  buildings  to  interest 
the  student  of  Colombian  antiquities,  while  the  His- 
tory of  Santa  F6,  by  Juan  Rodrigues  Fresle,  popu- 
larly known  as  "El  Carnero,"  and  published  some 
years  ago  from  a  manuscript,  furnishes  a  pleasant  in- 
sight into  the  life  of  the  Santa  Fe  of  the  sixteenth 
century. 

Bogota  is  of  difficult  access.  It  may  be  approached 
from  Buenaventura  on  the  Pacific,  or  from  Cartagena 
or  Baranquilla,  on  the  Atlantic,  though,  in  a  straight 
line,  it  is  much  nearer  to  the  former.  Railroads  in 
Colombia  are  still  in  a  formative  stage,  although  at 
least  700  kilometers  are  in  operation.  One  line  runs 
from  Buenaventura  to  Juntas,  whence  it  is  to  con- 
tinue to  various  cities  of  the  Cauca  Valley,  and,  finally 
connect  with  the  road  leading  to  Medellin,  northwest 
of  Bogota.  On  the  Atlantic,  a  short  road  runs  from 
Puerto  Colombia  to  Baranquilla,  and  one  from  Carta- 
gena to  Calamar.  There  are  a  number  of  other  short 
roads,  connecting  various  points  of  the  Republic. 
Several  trains  leave  Bogota  daily  for  points  not  far 
away  from  the  capital.  To  go  from  Cartagena  to 
Bogotd,  you  take  the  railroad  to  Calamar,  and  thence 
ascend  the  Magdalena  river  by  steamer,  until  you 
reach  another  railroad  leading  into  the  capital.  The 
journey  lasts  ten  days.  To  avoid  unnecessary  discom- 
forts, if  time  permits,  it  would  be  well  to  wait  for  one 


372  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

of  the  large  steamers.  Leaving  Calamar  about  eight 
o'clock,  say  Monday  morning,  you  will  arrive  at  La 
Dorado,  from  five  to  seven  days  later,  if  all  is  favora- 
ble, and  the  depth  of  the  Magdalena  is  satisfactory. 
Here  you  take  the  train  which  brings  you  into  Honda 
in  about  two  hours.  At  the  Hotel  America  you  ar- 
range for  mules  to  go  to  Facatativa.  You  pay  |5.00 
(gold)  for  each  mule,  and  |3.00  to  the  mule  driver. 
Leaving  Honda  at  5  a.  m.,  you  lunch  at  Gabinete, 
where  there  is  a  good  posada,  or  inn.  You  spend  the 
first  night  at  Verjel,  and  the  second  at  Villela.  The 
following  day,  you  may  arrive  at  Facatativa,  in  time 
to  catch  the  3.30  p.  m.  train  to  Bogota. 

From  Buenaventura  on  the  Pacific  to  Bogota,  the 
journey  is  somewhat  arduous,  as  it  is  necessary  to 
cross  the  Andes  by  mule.  You  go  from  Buenaventura 
to  Cali  by  narrow-gauge  railroad,  some  seventy  miles, 
thence  by  mule  to  about  32  miles  from  Bogotd,  where 
you  may  take  a  coach.  The  journey  may  last  several 
weeks,  according  to  the  condition  of  the  roads. 

As  Bogota  is  the  political  centre  of  the  country,  in 
spite  of  its  geographical  isolation,  it  is,  also,  the  in- 
tellectual centre.  In  fact,  it  has  been  named  the 
Athens  of  South  America.  In  Colombia,  where  the 
Spanish  race  and  character  have  been  better  preserved 
than  in  most  other  countries,  and  where  the  language 
is  spoken  in  greater  purity,  there  is  a  literature  that 
may  be  called  national,  with  comparatively  little 
French,  German,  or  English  influence.  Not  to  speak 
of  the  colonial  epoch,  which  furnished  a  number  of 
illustrious  names  to  the  history  of  Spanish  American 
literature,  since  the  beginning  of  the  period  of  inde- 
pendence, many  illustrious  writers,  like  Marino,  Tor- 
res, Zea,  Madrid,  Tejada,  Ortiz,  Arboleda,  Caro, 
Isaacs,  Vergara  y  Vergara,  and  many  more,  have 
contributed  to  enrich  the  literature  of  their  country. 


Colombia  373 

As  for  education,  Colombia  has  witnessed  the  strug- 
gle, between  the  religious,  and  the  purely  secular  ten- 
dencies that  has  characterized  the  history  of  modern 
education  in  every  country  of  the  world.  Under  Presi- 
dent Mosquera,  the  latter  gained  a  signal  victory,  with 
the  expulsion  of  the  Jesuits  and  other  Religious 
Orders,  and  the  complete  secularization  of  education. 
But  Colombia  has  retraced  its  steps,  and,  today,  it 
acknowledges  the  importance  of  uniting  secular  with 
religious  instruction. 

Higher  education  is  imparted  in  the  universities  of 
Bogota,  Popayan,  Medellin,  and  Cartagena,  while  a 
scientific  training  for  the  professions  may  be  obtained 
in  other  cities  besides.  The  venerable  College  of  the 
Rosario  in  Bogota  still  continues  under  the  patron- 
age of  the  government,  while  scondary  education  is 
imparted  in  a  number  of  colleges  throughout  the  land. 

Primary  education,  while  gratuitous,  is  not  obliga- 
tory. There  are  about  two  thousand  public  schools 
in  the  Republic  which,  however,  can  not  be  adequate 
for  the  population.  Leaving  a  number  of  private 
schools  out  of  consideration,  we  find,  that,  in  1906, 
the  highest  number  of  children  receiving  public  edu- 
cation was  fifteen  per  cent.,  notably  in  the  Depart- 
ment of  Caldas,  while  the  total,  throughout  the  coun- 
try, was  less  than  five  per  cent,  on  an  average.^ 

Education  in  Colombia  is  under  the  direction  of 
the  ^'Minister  of  Public  Instruction,"  whose  cares 
are  divided  among  primary,  secondary,  professional, 
agricultural,  industrial,  commercial,  and  artistic  edu- 
cation, besides  national  colleges,  libraries,  museums, 
the  observatory,  public  relief,  hygiene,  and  so  forth. 


2  See   Colombia    en   La    Mano   Lisimaco   Palau,   p.   87 ;    and 
La  Vie  Intellectuelle  en  Colombie.  R.  Pere  H.  J.  Rochereaux. 


374  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

Literary    and    artistic    proprietorship,    or    copyright, 
belongs,  also,  to  his  province. 

The  National  Library  at  Bogota  contains  about  25,- 
000  volumes.  In  the  same  building  is  the  National 
Museum. 

As  to  health,  there  is  one  terrible  disease  that  must 
be  noted,  namely  leprosy,  a  disease  the  existence  of 
which  has  been  observed  from  the  earliest  days  of 
the  colony.  Less  than  two-fifths  of  these  unfortunates 
are  cared  for  in  the  three  asylums  of  Agua  de  Dios, 
Contratacion,  and  Cano  de  Loro,  while  the  others  are 
abroad.  The  number  of  lepers  in  Colombia  has,  how- 
ever, been  greatly  exaggerated  in  foreign  countries, 
while  accurate  statistics  have  shown,  that  they  do 
not  exceed  four  thousand,  a  very  small  proportion  of 
the  population,  considering  the  prevalence  of  leprosy 
in  most  tropical  countries. 

The  Colombian  army  in  time  of  peace  consists  of 
5,000  men,  but  a  force  of  120,000  might  be  gathered 
for  an  emergency.  As  a  protection,  the  government 
reserves  to  itself  the  right  to  import  arms,  while  all, 
even  those  belonging  to  individuals,  are  kept  in  armor- 
ies of  the  state.  The  minister  of  war  has  under  his 
jurisdiction,  besides  the  army,  also  the  police  corps, 
and  the  gendarmerie.  The  military  school  in  Bogota 
was  organized  only  a  few  years  ago.  Besides  two  or 
three  gunboats,  Colombia  has  no  navy;  but,  with  its 
ports  on  the  Atlantic  and  Pacific,  it  might,  had  it 
the  means,  build  up  a  very  efficient  one. 

Colombian  currency  consists  of  gold,  silver,  and 
paper,  the  gold  dollar  being  the  monetary  unit.  The 
other  denominations  in  gold  are  the  condor,  of  10, 
the  half -condor,  of  5,  and  the  double  condor,  of  20 
dollars'  value.  The  silver  coins  are  the  half  peso, 
worth  fifty,  the  peseta,  worth  twenty,  and  the  real 


Colombia  375 

worth  ten  cents  of  the  gold  dollar.  Paper  money  is 
depreciated  to  the  extent,  that  the  peso  is  only  the 
one-hundredth  part  of  the  value  of  the  gold  dollar. 
This  depreciated  peso  circulates,  also,  in  nickel.  Thus 
there  is  a  five  dollar  piece,  worth  five  cents  of  our 
money. 

We  now  return  to  Cartagena,  the  lonly  city  of 
Colombia  with  which  it  was  possible  for  me  to  become 
personally  acquainted. 

Cartagena  de  las  Indias,  one  of  the  oldest  cities 
on  the  American  continent,  was  founded  in  1533.  As 
a  fortified  city,  it  is  unique  in  the  world,  especially 
as  the  walls  and  fortifications  are  in  a  good  state  of 
preservation,  while  military  engineers  declare  them 
faultless.  There  are  inner  and  outer  walls,  with  wide 
terraces  on  the  ramparts,  old  sentry  houses,  and  pro- 
tected stairs  descending  to  apartments  within  the 
walls,  some  of  which  are  now  occupied  as  dwellings 
by  the  poorer  classes.  In  the  days  of  its  glory,  Car- 
tagena was  impregnable.  The  fortifications  date  from 
the  reign  of  Philip  II. 

Within  the  city,  with  its  picturesque  streets,  and 
Plazas,  and  its  massive  stone  houses,  the  principal 
buildings  that  will  draw  your  attention  are  the  cathe- 
dral, Santo  Domingo,  and,  especially,  San  Juan  de 
Dios,  the  church  of  the  Jesuits.  Ecclesiastically,  Car- 
tagena makes  much  the  same  impression  as  does  Pan- 
ama, that  of  ruin.  The  results  of  former  expulsions, 
and  confiscations  are  still  to  be  seen. 

The  cathedral,  dating  from  the  sixteenth  century, 
massive  and  plain,  is  lacking  in  the  gold  ornamen- 
tation one  sees  in  other  Latin  American  cities.  The 
pulpit  is  one  of  the  finest  examples  of  Italian  work 
in  marble  in  the  New  World.  Tradition  has  it,  that  it 
was  intended  for  Lima,  but  that  the  ship  that  bore 


376  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

it  was  wrecked  off  Cartagena,  and  that  the  pulpit, 
after  a  second  wreck,  was  placed  in  the  cathedral. 
Here,  also,  are  two  fine  tombs,  one  holding  the  re- 
mains of  the  late  archbishop,  Mgr.  Biffi,  and  the  other, 
still  empty,  intended  for  the  present  occupant  of  the 
See,  also  an  Italian. 

The  old  church  of  Santo  Domingo  is  partly  in  a 
dilapidated  condition,  and  the  towers  are  completely 
ruined.  The  bare  church  is  adorned,  however,  with 
new  altars.  The  stalls  in  the  choir  where  the  Friars 
were  wont  to  recite  their  office  have  disappeared. 

The  adjoining  monastery,  with  its  massive  cloisters, 
no  longer  harbors  the  Friars  of  St.  Dominic,  but  the 
Eudist  Fathers  conduct  within  it  the  diocesan  semi- 
nary. Here  you  may  see  boys  of  various  shades  of 
color,  negro  blood  being  no  bar  to  admission  to  the 
priesthood,  clad  in  the  ecclesiastical  costume,  the  cas- 
sock. There  are  few  priests  in  the  diocese,  and  few 
vocations  to  the  priesthood. 

The  church  which  will  attract  the  greatest  atten- 
tion, on  the  part  of  the  pious  visitor  is  that  of  San 
Juan  de  Dios,  the  Jesuit  church  before  the  suppres- 
sion of  the  Order,  and  again,  today,  the  church  of 
the  Jesuits,  who  once  more  occupy  their  old  residence, 
with  its  spacious  courtyard,  though  their  community 
is  small.  Their  former  college,  however,  is  now  a 
barack  for  soldiers. 

It  was  in  this  Jesuit  residence,  that  St.  Peter  Claver 
lived,  and  in  the  church,  beneath  the  High  Altar,  his 
mortal  remains  repose.  Pedro  Claver,  a  native  of 
Catalonia,  became  a  Jesuit  at  an  early  age,  but  before 
completing  his  studies,  he  was  sent  to  America.  After 
spending  a  short  time  at  Bogota,  he  was  transferred 
to  Cartagena  where  he  received  the  Order  of  priest- 
hood.   Cartagena  remained  the  field  of  his  labors,  and. 


ColomUa  377 

for  forty  years,  he  devoted  himself  with  untiring  zeal 
to  the  care  of  the  negro  slaves,  attending  to  their 
material  necessities,  as  well  as  to  their  spiritual  needs. 
Never  a  slave  ship  ran  into  the  harbor  of  Cartagena, 
but  the  Apostle  of  the  Negroes  was  at  hand,  to  look 
after  his  wards.  No  contagious  disease,  nor  pestilen- 
tial atmosphere  could  ever  avail,  to  frighten  him  away. 
This  holy  man  was  canonized  some  years  ago,  by  Pope 
Leo  XIII. 

The  skeleton  of  the  Saint,  reposing  beneath  the 
High  Altar,  is  clad  with  a  chasuble,  but  the  skull  is 
visible.  The  cell  that  he  occupied  cannot  with 
certainty  be  located. 

Among  the  Mendicant  Friars  who  labored  in  the 
different  parts  of  Spanish  America,  the  Augustinians 
were  always  prominent.  In  colonial  times,  they  flour- 
ished, also,  at  Cartagena,  but,  today,  the  university 
occupies  their  monastery,  while  the  church  of  St. 
Augustino  is  used  as  a  library. 

The  church  and  convent  of  the  Franciscans,  situ- 
ated outside  the  inner  wall  on  the  land  side,  are  in 
ruins.  The  cloisters  still  exist,  but  they  are  used  for 
secular  purposes. 

The  very  large  palace  of  the  Inquisition  is  now  a 
private  residence,  and,  consequently,  it  is  not  easy 
to  visit  it.  Cartagena  possesses  a  number  of  old 
houses,  with  massive  walls,  and  spacious  patios,  some 
dating  apparently  from  a  very  early  colonial  period. 
One  of  these  dwellings  is  pointed  out  as  the  residence 
of  a  viceroy,  and  the  coat  of  arms  on  some  of  them 
testify  to  the  nobility  of  their  former  occupants,  now 
slumbering  in  the  dust. 

It  is  exceedingly  warm  in  Cartagena,  where  every- 
thing reminds  you  that  you  are  in  the  tropics.     The 


378  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

population  is  white,  negro,  and  Indian,  with  quite 
a  sprinkling  of  black  children,  some  of  whom,  as 
elsewhere  in  tropical  countries,  are  as  naked,  as  when 
they  were  born.  It  was  quite  refreshing  to  sit  down 
in  a  cool  room  of  the  hotel  to  a  refreshment  that  cost 
50  pesos,  or  dollars;  in  other  words,  fifty  cents.  Two 
hotels  in  Cartagena  bear  the  title  American,  namely 
Walter's  American  hotel,  and  the  American  Hotel 
Mariani. 

The  Clyde  left  the  wharf  at  Cartagena  at  four  in  the 
afternoon.  Passing  through  the  narrow  entrance  to 
the  harbor,  we  could  have  thrown  a  stone  on  the  shore. 
Some  distance  outside,  we  were  obliged  to  lie  to,  for 
the  rowboat  to  take  off  our  pilot.  About  eleven  at 
night,  we  arrived  off  Savanilla,  but  did  not  go  up  to 
the  wharf,  until  the  early  morning.  Savanilla  and 
Puerto  Colombia,  small  towns,  if  such  they  may  be 
called,  lie  close  together.  From  here  you  may  take 
the  train  to  Baranquilla,  some  fifteen  miles  away.  It 
is  here,  also,  that  the  Magdalena  river  flows  into  the 
sea.  To  go  to  Bogotd  from  here,  you  must  proceed 
to  Baranquilla,  and  take  the  train  to  Calamar. 

We  lay  a  whole  day  at  Puerto  Colombia,  amusing 
ourselves  by  paying  visits  to  a  French  liner  of  the 
Compagnie  Generale,  and  to  one  of  the  Hamburg 
American  steamers.  We  left  late  at  night,  and,  the 
next  day,  passed  Cape  Vela  on  the  coast  of  Colombia. 
It  is  said  that  cannibals  live  on  this  part  of  the 
coast,  and,  at  Cartagena  I  was  told,  that,  a  month 
previously,  two  men  in  a  lumber  camp  somewhere 
in  the  interior  had  been  killed  by  natives,  their  bodies 
being  carried  off.  One  hears  of  cannibals  in  several 
places  in  the  interior  of  South  America,  but  their 
existence  is,  also,  denied  by  good  authorities,  so  that, 
to  say  the  least,  it  is  doubtful. 


Colombia  379 

For  two  days,  we  steamed  along  the  coast  of  Vene- 
zuela, generally  out  of  sight  of  land,  but,  now  and 
then,  seeing  some  islands,  among  others  of  the  Dutch 
group  of  Curacoa,  Bonaire  and  Aruba.  The  most 
prominent  was  the  Island  of  Margarita,  so  conspicu- 
ous in  early  colonization  history,  and  belonging  to 
Venezuela. 

Margarita  lies  some  seventy  miles  off  the  coast, 
nearly  opposite  the  old  town  of  Cumand.  Discovered 
by  Columbus  on  his  third  voyage,  it  was  colonized  in 
1524.  Its  name  originates  from  the  pearl  fisheries,  for 
which  it  was  once  famous.  Margarita  enjoys  an 
exceptionally  healthful  climate.  Its  population 
amounts  to  about  20,000. 


Chapter  XXV. 
THE  WEST   INDIES. 

Trinidad  —  Barbados  —  Boys  Diving  for  Coins  —  Steamship 
Agents — Hastings — Nelson's  Statue — The  Cathedral — The 
Ocamo — St.  Vincent — The  Caribs — St.  Lucia — Dominica — 
Antigua — Nevis — St.  Kitts — Brimstone  Hill — St.  Eustatius 
Ruins — Past  History — Saluting  the  American  Flag — Ad- 
miral Rodney — Jamaica — The  Bahamas — Home  Again. 

As  time  passes,  the  discomforts  we  have  endured 
gradually  sink  back  into  the  mists  of  forgetfulness, 
while  the  pleasanter  features  of  our  life  come  into 
bolder  relief,  assuming  the  roseate  tints  of  imagina- 
tion which  enhance  the  reality.  Yet  there  are  certain 
disagreeable  events  of  our  life  that  impress  us  so, 
that  they  are  not  easily  forgotten.  Thus  it  is,  that 
the  hot  days  and  nights  on  the  Clyde  have  left  their 
mark.  I  wonder  how  the  deck  passengers  felt.  These 
were  crowded  together,  men,  women,  and  children, 
on  the  forward  deck,  some  sitting  on  chairs  they  had 
brought  along,  others  lying  in  every  conceivable  at- 
titude, some  suffering  more  than  others,  some  happy 
enough  to  cultivate  music.  These  people  were  nearly 
all  negroes,  or  of  negro  blood. 

Beyond  them,  lay  the  quarters  of  the  second  cabin 
passengers,  with  a  promenade  deck  sufficiently  large. 
It  must  be  remembered  that  the  Koyal  Mail  boats  from 
New  York  are  transatlantics.  They  go  from  New 
York  to  Jamaica,  thence  to  Panama,  the  coast  of  Col- 
ombia,  Trinidad   and   Barbados,   before   crossing   the 

380 


The  West  Indies  381 

Atlantic.  The  deck  passengers  to  which  I  have  re- 
ferred were  West  Indian  travelers,  many  of  whom 
were  returning  from  Panama.  We  had  on  board,  a 
certain  number  of  men  who  had  been  engaged  to  labor 
on  a  railroad  in  process  of  construction  in  the  rubber 
country  in  Brazil,  on  the  upper  Amazon.  It  appears 
that  the  authorities  in  Panama  have  had  some  trouble 
with  agents  seeking  to  allure  men  away  from  the 
canal  w^orks,  and  one  of  these  was  said  to  be  cruising 
somewhere  in  the  neighborhood  of  Barbados. 

Sunday,  July  24,  found  us  off  the  delta  of  the 
Orinoco,  running  into  the  beautiful  harbor  of  Trini- 
dad, named  thus  by  Columbus  when  he  discovered  it 
on  his  third  voyage  in  1498.  For  a  long  time,  Trini- 
dad has  been  a  possession  of  Great  Britain.  Its  pop- 
ulation amounts  to  about  100,000.  The  sanitary 
arrangements  of  this  island  are  said  to  be  excellent; 
yet  it  is  about  the  only  island  in  the  West  Indies 
that  seems  to  excite  concern,  and  quarantine  against 
it  frequently  exists,  owing  to  the  yellow  fever,  which, 
every  now  and  then,  appears  on  its  shores.  Years  ago, 
I  had  lain  off  the  harbor  of  Port  of  Spain,  but  I 
could  not  land,  owing  to  the  yellow  fever  prevailing 
ashore.  This  time  I  was  more  fortunate,  going  ashore 
in  the  company's  tender,  and  spending  the  night  as 
the  guest  of  the  Irish  Dominican  Fathers  who  min- 
ister to  the  spiritual  wants  of  the  population.  The 
archbishop,  Most  Kev.  Dr.  Dowling,  is  a  Dominican. 
There  are,  also,  secular  priests  on  tlie  island,  besides 
Fathers  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  The  diocese  of  Port  of 
Spain  comprises  the  islands  of  Trinidad,  Tobago, 
Granada,  St.  Vincent,  and  St.  Lucia. 

The  population  of  Trinidad  consists  of  whites  of  dif- 
ferent nationalities,  including  a  colony  of  Venezuelans, 
of  colored  people,  and  of  coolies  from  British  India  who, 


382  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

at  various  times,  have  been  imported  to  work  on  the 
plantations.  These  coolies  have  brought  with  them 
to  the  West, Indies  their  costume,  religion,  language, 
and  customs  to  which  they  generally  adhere.  They 
are  often  met  in  Port  of  Spain. 

The  principal  products  of  Trinidad  are  cocoa  and 
sugar,  but  the  island  is,  also,  famous  for  its  pitch 
lakes,  whence  much  of  the  asphalt  used  in  paving  is 
derived. 

Port  of  Spain  is  the  finest  city  in  the  British  West 
Indies,  with  electric  lights,  and  electric  cars.  The 
Savannahs,  or  Public  Park,  are  an  ornament  to  the 
city,  affording  spacious  grounds  as  a  pleasure  resort. 
The  streets  are  wide,  and  well  paved.  There  are,  also, 
some  fine  buildings  in  the  town. 

We  left  Trinidad  about  four  in  the  afternoon,  arriv- 
ing at  Barbados  the  next  morning.  Barbados  is  one 
of  the  most  frequented  ports  in  the  West  Indies,  with 
frequent  calls  from  the  Royal  Mail,  the  Lamport  and 
Holt,  the  Booth,  and  other  lines.  The  small  inter- 
colonial steamer  of  the  Royal  Mail  Company  lay  in 
the  harbor,  but  I  learned  that  it  would  be  a  week, 
before  the  date  of  her  departure  for  the  northern 
islands,  and  so  I  engaged  a  boat,  in  the  confusion  and 
bedlam  prevailing,  and  rowed  off  to  a  steamer  some 
distance  away  w^hich  I  learned  w^as  to  leave  for  St. 
Kitts  in  a  couple  of  days.  She  turned  out  to  be  the 
"Ocamo"  of  the  Pickford  and  Black  line  which  runs 
from  Halifax  to  the  West  Indies.  I  could  obtain  no 
passage  on  board,  being  referred  to  the  agent. 

Barbados  is  one  of  the  ports,  in  which  boys  dive 
for  coins.  I  have  seen  the  same  thing  in  Naples,  and 
elsewhere,  but  it  is  particularly  noticeable  in  Bar- 
bados. The  boys  row  out  to  the  steamer  in  nondescript 
boats,  jump  overboard,  and  the  fun  begins.    The  eager 


TJw  West  Indies  383 

expression  on  their  black  face,  as  they  scan  the  line 
of  passengers  is,  in  itself,  a  study.  When  the  coin  is 
thrown,  they  follow  it  with  their  eyes,  until  it  strikes 
the  water,  then  down  they  go  into  the  deep,  so  trans- 
parent in  the  West  Indies.  They  seem  to  have  ad- 
vanced a  step  in  civilization,  for  they  are  no  longer 
naked,  as  I  saw  them  in  Barbadoes,  years  ago,  but 
now  they  wear  some  kind  of  bathing  breeches.  No 
fish  can  surpass  these  vagabonds  in  aquatic  man- 
oeuvres. 

Speaking  of  fish  reminds  me  that,  entering  the 
harbor  of  Trinidad,  I  was  much  amused  by  the  antics 
of  some  porpoises,  that  actually  ran  a  race  with  the 
steamer,  keeping  up  with  her  admirably,  then  sud- 
denly diving  out  of  sight,  to  reappear  again. 

Years  ago,  I  had  spent  almost  a  week,  and  a  pleas- 
ant week  it  was,  with  the  solitary  priest  on  the  island, 
a  Jesuit.  I  had  come  from  Demerara  in  a  little 
schooner,  the  only  opportunity  I  had  to  get  away 
from  the  yellow  fever,  and  the  good  priest  generously 
extended  his  hospitality  to  me.  In  those  days,  there 
was  a  garrison  in  Barbados,  but  Great  Britain  has 
withdrawn  her  soldiers  from  the  West  Indies,  for 
which  she  seems  to  care  very  little.  The  only  military 
you  see  now,  are  the  negro  policemen.  The  islands 
are  divided  into  sections  or  groups,  Trinidad  and 
Tobago,  Barbados,  Windward  Islands,  Leward  Islands, 
and  so  forth,  with  a  governor  general  at  the  head  of 
each  group,  and  administrators  over  each  separate 
island. 

With  the  memory  of  good  Father  Maguire  in  mind, 
I  walked  up  to  the  priest's  house,  nearly  exhausted 
from  the  heat.  My  reception  was  very  courteous;  but 
Father  Maguire  had  long  since  departed. 


384  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

Eeturning  to  the  business  part  of  Bridgetown — this 
is  the  name  of  the  capital  of  Barbados — I  visited  sev- 
eral steamship  agencies.  I  am  sorry,  that  I  cannot 
go  into  ecstasies  over  the  affability  of  Barbados 
agents.  Possibly  I  struck  them  at  the  wrong  time. 
At  all  events,  I  could  not  shake  off  the  impression 
made  on  me,  such  as  would  have  been  made,  had  I 
found  myself  in  the  presence  of  some  great  dignitary. 
However,  there  are  exceptions.  During  my  sojourn 
in  the  island,  I  took  up  my  abode  at  the  Bay  Mansion 
Boarding  House,  a  quaint  old  building,  about  200 
years  old,  that  must  have  witnessed  many  a  gala  re- 
ception in  ''ye  olden  time."  You  pass  through  pleas- 
ant, and  shady  grounds,  before  reaching  the  house. 
Of  course,  you  need  not  look  in  it  for  modern  con- 
veniences, and  you  will  have  to  be  content  with  an  oil 
lamp. 

Before  long,  they  will,  probably,  introduce  electri- 
city into  Barbados,  but,  thus  far,  they  have  nothing 
but  horse,  or  mule  cars,  running  to  various  sections. 
Among  other  places,  these  cars  will  take  you  to  Has- 
tings, a  bathing  resort,  some  distance  from  Bridge- 
town. A  dip  into  the  Caribbean  at  Hastings,  is  one 
of  my   pleasant  recollections   of   Barbados. 

Barbados  is,  in  proportion,  one  of  the  most  popu- 
lous spots  on  the  globe,  the  vast  majority  of  the  popu- 
lation being  of  colored  blood.  Here  I  was  first  struck 
by  the  ragged  appearance  of  the  negroes  in  the  British 
West  Indies.  I  often  wondered  how  some  of  the  women 
could  manage  to  keep  on  their  body  the  rags  that 
covered  them.  Taking  him  all  in  all,  the  West  Indian 
negro  is  a  degenerate  specimen  of  humanity.  There 
is  much  beggary  throughout  the  Island,  but  I  observed 
more  importunate,  and  impertinent  mendicity  in  Bar- 
bados, than  anywhere  else.    ''Master,  beg  you  a  penny'' 


The  West  Indies  385 

— this  is  what  one  hears  at  every  step.  Fortunately, 
the  beggars  are  contented  with  little.  On  leaving  my 
boarding  house,  I  had  to  tip  every  one  of  my  black 
waitresses,  and,  finally,  I  was  given  a  gentle  reminder 
with  the  words,  ''Master,  I  am  your  cook."  I  was 
glad  enough,  when  I  had  run  the  gauntlet,  and,  finally, 
stepped  into  the  carriage. 

Among  the  things  apt  to  interest  the  visitor  to  Bar- 
bados is  the  statue  of  Lord  Nelson  on  Trafalgar 
square.  It  dates  from  the  year  1812,  being  the  first 
statue  ever  erected  to  the  great  British  admiral,      j 

Then,  there  is  the  old  Anglican  cathedral  with  its 
venerable  tombstones,  one,  at  least,  dating  from  the 
end  of  the  seventeenth  century.  There  are  stalls  in 
the  chancel  for  the  canons.  Of  especial  interest  to 
me  was  the  monument  here  to  the  memory  of  Bishop 
William  Hart  Coleridge,  the  first  bishop  of  Barbados 
who,  if  I  am  not  greatly  mistaken,  was  the  bishop 
who  confirmed  my  mother,  before  she  went  over  to  the 
Catholic  Church.  Bishop  Coleridge  had,  also,  the 
Windward  Islands  under  his  jurisdiction. 

Engaging  passage  on  the  ''Ocamo,"  as  far  as  Dom- 
inica, I  left  Barbados  toward  evening.  The  "Ocamo" 
is  a  cargo  boat,  with  limited  accommodations  for  a 
few  passengers.  I  was  fortunate  to  obtain  a  room  on 
deck  all  to  myself,  with  electric  light.  The  little  din- 
ing saloon,  down  below,  was  stiffling,  but  I  cannot 
complain  of  my  stateroom  which,  surely,  was  a  great 
improvement  on  that  of  the  Clyde.  I  had  reason  to 
regret  that  I  did  not  remain  on  the  "Ocamo"  all  the 
way  to  St.  Kitts.  The  upper  deck,  spacious  enough, 
was  quite  pleasant. 

Early  in  the  morning,  after  leaving  Barbados,  we 
were  lying  off  St.  Vincent.  We  were  the  only  vessel 
in  the  harbor,  until  a  Royal  Mail  freight  steamer  ran 


386  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

in,  shortly  after  our  arrival.  Engaging  a  boat,  as  soon 
as  I  could,  for  six  pence,  I  steered  for  the  wharf,  and 
spent  a  very  pleasant  day  at  Kingstown,  in  company 
with  Father  Long,  the  young  Irish  priest,  who  leads 
a  solitary  life  on  the  island.  A  considerable  portion 
of  his  congregation  is  made  up  of  Portuguese  from 
the  islands  belonging  to  Portugal. 

St.  Vincent  has  been  called  the  "Gem  of  the  West 
Indies."  Ninety-seven  miles  west  of  Barbados,  and 
twenty-one  miles  southwest  of  St.  Lucia,  it  belongs 
to  the  Windward  Islands.  It  was  discovered  by  Col- 
umbus on  January  22,  1498,  on  his  third  voyage.  Re- 
garded as  one  of  the  healthiest  in  the  West  Indies,  it 
has  a  population  of  52,000 ;  but  only  a  little  more  than 
2,000  are  white.  This  was  one  of  the  headquarters  of 
the  fierce  Caribs,  and,  today,  it  is  one  of  the  few  islands 
where  Caribs  still  exist.  At  the  eruption  of  the  Sou- 
friere,  the  same  year  in  which  St.  Pierre,  Martinique, 
was  destroyed,  a  large  number  of  these  Caribs  per- 
ished. The  Carib  country,  allotted  to  them  over  200 
years  ago  as  a  reservation,  is  twenty-four  miles  from 
Kingstown. 

There  are  many  points  of  interest  in  the  island 
which  it  would  take  some  time  to  visit.  Of  especial 
importance  in  Kingstown  is  the  Free  Library,  the  gift 
in  1908,  of  Andrew  Carnegie.  It  is  built  with  a  view 
to  withstanding  the  terrible  hurricanes  that,  occa- 
sionally, sweep  over  the  islands.  My  visit  to  the  West 
Indies  coincided  with  the  hurricane  season,  but  I  was 
fortunate  enough  never  to  run  into  one.  I  have  no 
desire  for  any  further  acquaintance  with  West  Indian 
hurricanes,  as,  years  ago,  I  witnessed  the  horrors  of 
one  in  the  island  of  St.  Thomas. 

The  Carnegie  library  in  St.  Vincent  posseses  a  very 
interesting  collection  of  Carib  relics.     This  much  for 


The  West  Indies  387 

the  ethnologist.  The  student  of  natural  science,  and  of 
political  economy  will  find  valuable  material  in  the 
samples  of  St.  Vincent  products,  kept  on  exhibition 
at  the  library.  These  are  sugar,  coffee,  cocoa,  nut- 
megs, arrow-root,  cinnamon,  and  cotton.  The  St.  Vin- 
cent people  tell  me,  that  their  cotton  is  the  best  in  the 
world.  I  am  much  indebted  to  Mr.  Denniston  Chrich- 
ton,  manager  of  the  hotel,  for  his  kind  attentions. 

St.  Vincent,  like  other  islands,  in  the  West  Indies, 
is  still  obliged  to  use  oil  for  light,  the  day  of  electri- 
city not  having,  as  yet,  dawned  for  the  island.  There 
are,  however,  three  newspapers  in  Kingston,  among 
which  I  noticed  the  Sentry,  which  is  published  every 
Friday.  The  islands  receive  important  news  by  cable, 
and  a  daily  bulletin  in  some,  like  St.  Kitts,  keeps  the 
public  posted. 

I  mentioned  the  ^^Soufriere."  This  mountain,  3,500 
feet  high,  has  two  craters,  the  smaller  of  which  was 
formed  in  the  eruption  of  1812.  The  larger  crater 
contains  a  lake,  two  miles  in  circumference,  with 
water  of  a  yellowish  green  color.  It  lies  1,800  feet 
below  the  edge  of  the  crater.  The  last  eruption  was 
in  1902.  It  wrought  tremendous  havoc,  and  its  deton- 
ations were  heard  throughout  the  islands.  Volcanic 
dust  fell  on  the  deck  of  a  steamer,  1,000  miles  to 
Windward  of  Barbados.^ 

Leaving  St.  Vincent  late  at  night,  we  ran  early  the 
following  morning  into  St.  Lucia.  Martinique  could 
be  seen  in  the  distance.  The  peculiar  peaks  of  St. 
Lucia,  known  as  the  Pythons,  will  be  pointed  out  to 
you,  as  you  enter  the  harbor.  As  St.  Lucia  is  a  coal- 
ing station,  the  steamers  go  up  to  the  dock.  It  is 
interesting  to  watch  the  negro  women   coaling  ship. 


1  See  The  Guide  Book  to  St.  Vincent,  by  the  Hon.  Mrs.  C. 
Gideon  Murray. 


388  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

With  the  coal  basket  on  their  head,  they  run  up  the 
gang  plank  in  procession,  dump  the  coal,  and  run 
back  again  for  another  load,  and,  thus  the  black  line 
keeps  on  moving,  until  the  work  is  done. 

The  popular  language  of  the  island  is  Creole  French, 
but  English  is  rapidly  superseding  it,  even  in  the 
church,  as  it  is  taught  in  the  schools.  The  older  ne- 
groes, however,  still  say  their  prayers  in  French.  St. 
Lucia  is,  probably,  the  most  religious  island  in  the 
West  Indies.  A  French  missionary  society,  the  "Peres 
de  Chavannes,"  ministers  to  the  spiritual  needs  of  the 
population.  It  was  in  company  with  one  of  these 
Fathers,  the  vicar-general,  that  I  drove  over  the  beauti- 
ful mountains,  with  their  magnificent  scenery,  to  the 
English  barracks,  quite  new,  that  had  just  been  fin- 
ished, when  the  garrison  was  withdrawn.  Perched 
high  up  on  the  hills,  near  older  fortifications  of  a 
bygone  day,  this  splendid  group  of  buildings  excites 
a  feeling  of  pity,  that  they  should  lie  thus  abandoned, 
and  forlorn. 

Like  St.  Vincent,  St.  Lucia  has  neither  electric  light, 
nor  gas.  The  sewerage  of  the  town  of  Castries,  the 
capital,  consists  in  the  emptying  of  pans  into  the 
harbor.    This  performance  takes  place  every  night. 

The  morning  after  leaving  St.  Lucia,  I  arrived  at 
Dominica,  discovered  by  Columbus  on  his  second  voy- 
age in  1493.  The  day  was  Sunday,  and  the  name 
"Dominica,"  the  Lord's  Day,  has  remained  forever 
attached  to  the  island.  It  was  at  Dominica,  or  Dom- 
inique, as  it  is,  also,  called,  that  Columbus  first  saw 
the  Caribs.  A  remnant  of  these  aborigines  is  still 
found  on  the  island. 

It  was  a  great  pleasure  to  me,  to  meet  here  my  old 
college  mate,  the  Right  Rev.  Philip  Schelfaut,  Bishop 
of  Roseau,  as  the  capital  of  the  island  is  named. 


The  West  Indies  389 

At  Dominica,  I  exchanged  the  "Ocamo"  for  the 
"Parima,"  one  of  the  smaller  vessels  of  the  Quebec 
Steamship  Company.  The  ship  was  crowded,  though 
I  managed  to  obtain  a  berth  in  a  room  with  some 
one  else.  However,  I  spent  only  one  night  on  this 
ship.  In  spite  of  the  heat,  there  is  a  charm  about 
the  West  Indies.  The  beautiful  sunlight,  the  waving 
branches  of  the  palm,  the  flowers,  the  tropical  vegeta- 
tion generally  are  things  that  delight  the  eye.  Even 
the  ragged  negroes  add  a  touch  of  the  picturesque  to 
the  scene.  At  sea,  as  you  sail  through  the  Windward 
and  Leeward  Islands,  you  hardly  ever  lose  sight  of 
land.  As  one  island  recedes,  another  looms  up,  some- 
times several  being  visible  at  once. 

Our  last  day  on  the  sea,  before  arriving  at  St. 
Kitts,  was  ideal.  The  sparkling  light  danced  over  the 
blue  waters,  as  one  island,  after  the  other,  presented 
itself  to  our  gaze.  During  the  night,  we  had  made  a 
brief  stop  at  the  French  island  of  Guadeloupe ;  in  the 
morning,  we  were  at  Antigua.  At  this  island,  ships 
lie  far  from  land,  so  that  little  of  the  town  can  be 
seen.  However,  we  received  on  board  a  number  of 
the  islanders,  full  of  life  and  merry,  who  were  bound 
for  the  horse  races  at  St.  Kitts. 

After  leaving  Antigua,  we  sighted  "Kedonda"  which 
well  deserves  its  name,  as  it  is  a  round  rock,  standing 
Isolated,  and  solitary.  Then,  Nevis  came  into  view. 
Above  the  island,  rises  the  mountain,  Ben  Nevis,  its 
head  always  wrapped  in  clouds.  The  old  Spaniards 
called  the  island  Nieves,  Snows,  probably  from  the  fact 
that  the  vapors  on  the  mountain  make  it  appear,  as 
though  it  were  covered  with  snow.  The  islands  of 
Nevis  and  St.  Kitts  saw  some  fierce  fighting  in  the 
seventeenth  century  between  Spaniards,  Dutch  and 
English;  but  there  are  other  historical  memories  at- 


390  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

tached  to  the  island  of  Nevis  of  greater  interest  to  Eng- 
lish and  Americans.  It  was  in  the  old  church,  where 
the  marriage  register  is  still  kept,  that  Lord  and  Lady 
^Nelson  were  made  man  and  wife.  Here  too,  our  own 
Alexander  Hamilton  was  born,  and  you  can  distinctly 
see  the  house,  as  you  steam  past  Nevis  to  St.  Kitts. 

St.  Kitts,  or  St.  Christopher,  has  the  honor  of  being 
named  after  the  patron  saint  of  Columbus.  Strange 
and  varied  have  been  its  vicissitudes  from  the  days 
of  the  early  Spaniards  down.  By  him  who  has  the 
time,  an  interesting  hour  or  two  might  be  spent  among 
the  Spanish  manuscripts  in  the  British  Museum,  in 
which  Nevis  and  St.  Kitts  figure  to  some  extent.  At 
one  time,  divided  between  French  and  English,  it  was 
finally  conquered  by  the  latter.  The  name  of  its  prin- 
cipal town,  "Basseterre,"  is  a  memory  of  the  French 
occupation.  At  the  other  extremity  of  the  island,  near 
Sandy  Point,  the  fortified  eminence  of  Brimstone  Hill 
recalls  the  great  struggle  between  the  French  and 
English.  The  old  fortifications  of  Brimstone  Hill  are 
among  the  most  interesting  in  the  West  Indies. 

Near  Basseterre,  a  conspicuous  eminence  is  Monkey 
Hill,  quite  separated  from  the  rest  of  the  hills.  Mon- 
keys, I  am  told,  are  quite  plentiful  in  St.  Kitts. 

The  principal  industry  of  this  island  is  the  culti- 
vation of  the  sugar  cane,  with  a  considerable  portion 
of  the  wealth  in  the  hands  of  the  Portuguese  who  form 
a  colony  of  great  importance.  Of  recent  years,  the 
smaller  plantations  have  been  united  into  large  estates, 
in  which  steam  has  taken  the  place  of  wind.  Kuined 
old  wind  mills  all  over  the  island  mark  the  site  of 
former  plantations.  The  antiquarian,  interested  in 
colonial  history,  may  find  much  material  in  these 
islands  to  remind  him  of  the  days,  when  the  West 
Indies  were  more  flourishing,  but,  probably,  more  wick- 


The  West  Indies  391 

ed  than  they  are  today.  The  public  library  at  Basseterre 
is  well  worth  a  visit,  principally  for  its  collection  of 
Carib  relics.  A  gentleman  in  the  island,  whose  name, 
unfortunately,  I  cannot  now  recall,  has,  also,  a  very 
valuable  collection. 

I  spent  nearly  two  weeks  in  St.  Kitts,  for  the  reason 
that  I  could  find  no  opportunity  to  get  out.  No 
steamers  called  during  the  time,  and,  as  it  was  the 
hurricane  season,  few  sailing  vessels  were  running. 
The  house  of  the  Kedemptorists  whose  hospitality,  and 
whose  delightful  company  I  enjoyed  during  my  stay  in 
the  island,  is  surrounded  by  trees,  and  though,  every 
now  and  then,  there  is  a  gust  of  wind,  it  is  very  warm, 
as  is  the  town  of  Basseterre  generally.  I  suffered  much 
from  the  heat  in  St.  Kitts,  but  delightful  drives  over 
the  island  which  I  owe  to  my  hosts,  helped  to  break 
the  monotony,  and  the  suffering.  Showers,  or  rather 
torrential  rains,  were  quite  frequent,  and,  one  night, 
the  elements  warred  to  such  an  extent,  that  the  fear 
of  a  hurricane  began  to  seize  me. 

And  what  had  brought  me  to  St.  Kitts?  Often, 
and  often,  in  my  dreams  at  night,  and  in  my  day- 
dreams, I  had  pictured  to  myself  a  lonely  West  Indian 
island,  that  I  had  known,  when  life  was  new.  Brought 
to  it,  when  only  three  years  of  age,  I  lived  in  it,  until 
I  was  ten.  'Mid  the  ever  changing  scenes  of  years,  I 
had  never  forgotten  it.  At  one  time,  it  was  of  im- 
mense importance,  playing  a  great  part  in  the  history 
of  the  United  States;  today  it  is  hardly  known.  How 
many  people  will  be  able  to  answer  in  the  affirmative, 
if  you  ask  them,  whether  they  have  ever  heard  of  the 
island  of  St.  Eustatius. 

To  go  to  St.  Eustatius,  I  drove  from  Basseterre  to 
Sandy  Point,  where  I  met  the  little  sloop  I  had  en- 
gaged to  take  me  across.    St.  Eustatius,  or  Statia,  a« 


392  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

they  call  it  down  there,  is  visible  from  this  part  of 
St.  Kitts.  Its  extinct  crater,  ''the  mountain''  of  my 
childhood's  days,  is  one  of  the  most  perfect  in  the 
world.  It  was  with  no  little  emotion  that  I  saw  it 
assume  larger  and  larger  proportions,  as  our  sloop 
obedient  to  the  rudder,  guided  by  our  negro  captain, 
rose  and  fell  on  the  waves.  The  craft  was  filled  with 
black  men  and  women  who  were  going  home  to 
^'Statia."  I  learned  by  questions  put  to  these  people, 
that  "Statia"  had  changed  very  little  in  the  last  forty 
years,  or  rather  since  the  emancipation  in  1863.  The 
whalers,  or  what  is  left  of  them,  still  frequent  the 
open  roadstead,  people  still  use  candles  and  oil  lamps, 
and  drink  rain  water.  There  is  one  change,  however, 
that  I  noticed  as,  at  the  hour  of  sunset,  we  cast  anchor 
off  Oranjestad.  In  my  day,  they  would  pull  your 
boat  up  on  the  beach;  now  they  have  a  wharf.  I  did 
not  expect  to  be  remembered  in  the  little  island,  and, 
therefore,  great  was  my  surpise,  when,  within  an  hour, 
my  arrival  was  known  everywhere,  and  I  discovered 
soon,  that  there  were  many  who  recollected  the  little 
boy  that  once  lived  among  them.  For  a  couple  of 
days  I  was  the  guest  of  the  Dominican,  Father  Del- 
geur,  who  has  been  spending  the  best  years  of  his 
life  in  this  solitary  existence.  It  was  perfect  delight 
to  accompany  the  Administrator  (Gezaghebber),  Mr. 
G.  J.  van  Groll,  in  a  ride  over  the  island,  and  listen 
to  his  plans  for  its  improvement. 

St.  Eustatius  is  a  picturesque  ruin,  with  old  water 
cisterns,  and  cemeteries,  scattered  everywhere.  Dilapi- 
dation, wreck,  ruin,  misery,  raggedness,  wretchedness 
meet  you  at  every  step.  Of  the  thousand  or  more  in- 
habitants, there  are  hardly  a  hundred  whites.  The 
old  Dutch  church  in  the  cemetery,  with  its  historic 
names  is  a  ruin ;  the  Jewish  synagogue  is  a  ruin.    Of 


Old  Fort  in   St.  Eustatius  that   Saluted  the 
American  Flag 


The  West  Indies  393 

the  Anglican  church,  only  the  graveyard  remains.  I 
found  the  names  of  a  few  Americans  who  had  left 
their  bones  there,  while  the  colonies  still  belonged  to 
England  or,  perhaps,  shortly  after  the  Kevolution.  All 
this  is  in  the  upper  town  of  "Oranjestad,"  or  Orange 
City.  In  the  lower  town,  consisting  today  of  only  three 
or  four  houses,  a  street,  a  mile  or  more  in  length,  lines 
the  beach.  It  is  a  dead  street.  The  houses,  some  of 
which  must  have  been  quite  splendid  in  their  day,  and 
the  numerous  warehouses  are  all  ruins,  overgrown 
with  the  luxuriant  vegetation  of  the  tropics,  with 
lizards  sporting  among  the  stones. 

Yes ;  St.  Eustatius  is  a  great  ruin ;  but  it  was  not 
always  thus.  In  the  eighteenth  century,  and  earlier 
too,  probably  in  the  days  of  the  buccaneers,  St.  Eus- 
tatius was  an  opulent  island.  It  was  the  "Golden 
Kock"  of  the  Antilles.  In  our  revolutionary  war,  it 
helped  our  Independence  along,  for  it  served  as  our 
base  of  supplies.  In  those  days,  flourished  Madame 
de  Graaf  whose  name  is  indelibly  written  on  the 
island,  and  whose  memory  is  imperishable.  She  was 
the  great-aunt  of  the  writer's  grandmother.  Her  hus- 
band was  governor  of  the  island.  The  British  colonies 
in  North  America  were  struggling  for  their  freedom; 
St.  Eustatius  helped  them.  One  day,  a  ship  of  the 
young  American  navy  ran  into  the  harbor  of  Oran- 
jestad.  The  British  were  on  the  lookout  for  American 
vessels.  Governor  de  Graaf  did  not  hesitate;  he  fired 
a  salute  in  honor  of  the  United  States.  This  was  the 
first  time  our  flag  was  ever  saluted  in  a  foreign  port. 
De  Graaf  was  summoned  to  Holland  to  account  for 
his  action.  His  defense  must  have  been  satisfactory; 
for  he  returned  to  St.  Eustatius.  But  the  British  were 
not  satisfied;  St.  Eustatius  was  a  constant  menace, 
they  must  make  an  example  of  the  island.     In  1781, 


394  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

war  broke  out  between  England  and  Holland.  On 
February  3,  Rodney  with  the  British  fleet  lay  off  the 
island.  Resistance  was  impossible,  the  governor  sur- 
rendered, immense  wealth  passed  into  the  hands  of 
the  British,  and  the  decline  began,  culminating  in  the 
ruins  we  contemplate  today.  St.  Eustatius  had  sac- 
rificed herself  for  the  cause  of  American  freedom.  Old 
Fort  Orange  that  fired  the  glorious,  but  fatal  salute, 
stands  there  still,  a  memory  of  better  days,  but  the 
guns  that  saluted  the  flag  have  fallen  from  the  ramp- 
arts.   They  lie  beneath  the  cliff,  buried  in  the  bushes. 

If  the  present  administrator  has  his  way,  there  will 
be  better  days  in  store  for  St.  Eustatius.  Agriculture 
is  beginning  to  flourish,  with  the  revival  of  some  of 
the  old  plantations,  and  there  are  good  prospects  of 
a  satisfactory  cultivation  of  cotton.  With  a  little 
capital,  with  a  better  water  supply,  with  means  of 
communication,  and  with  telegraph  and  telephone 
lines,  St.  Eustatius  could  be  rendered  a  pleasant  win- 
ter resort.  Its  climate,  cool  and  salubrious,  is  of  the 
best  in  the  West  Indies. 

I  might  write  much  more  of  St.  Eustatius;  but 
space  will  not  permit.  Hence  I  bid  farewell  to  it, 
with  its  memory  of  my  maternal  ancestors  from  old 
Holland,  and  their  tombs,  hoping  to  revisit  once  more 
the  scenes  of  my  childhood.  Before  I  leave  it,  I  am 
reminded,  that  I  find  in  St.  Eustatius  also  memories 
of  the  Roosevelts.  Were  they  in  in  any  way  related 
to  our  former  president  ?  ^ 

On  my  return  from  ^'Statia''  to  St.  Kitts,  I  spent 
a  few  more  days  in  the  British  island,  until  an  English 
freight  steamer,  running  into  the  harbor,  I  engaged 
passage  on  her  for  Jamaica.    Several  days  were  passed 


2  Het  Eiland  St.  Eustatius,  G.  J.  van  Grol ;  Het  Eiland  St. 
Eustatius,  P.  Delgeur.  > 


The  West  Indies  395 

on  the  old  "Sarstoon"  in  congenial  company  of  cap- 
tain, officers,  and  the  few  passengers  there  were.  A 
last  glimpse  of  St.  Eustatius,  and  of  the  little 
island  of  Saba,  where  people  live  on  the  mountain,  in 
an  extinct  crater,  and  we  were  again  at  sea,  in  the 
heart  of  the  Caribbean.  In  about  three  days  we  ar- 
rived at  Jamaica,  with  its  memories  of  old  Port  Koyal, 
long  since  sunken  into  the  sea,  and  of  the  buccaneer, 
Morgan.  There  I  had  the  pleasure  of  meeting  fellow- 
countrymen  in  the  Eight  Rev.  Bishop  Collins,  and  the 
Jesuit  Fathers. 

A  day  was  spent  at  Kingston  at  the  Myrtle  Bank 
Hotel,  and  my  homeward  journey  began  on  the  Prinz 
August  Wilhelm  of  the  Hamburg  American  line.  We  had 
seen  the  island  of  Haiti,  before  reaching  Jamaica,  we 
had  a  splendid  view  of  the  eastern  extremity  of  the  island 
of  Cuba,  after  leaving  it,  and  for  a  few  moments,  we 
stopped  at  an  island  in  the  Bahamas,  to  put  ashore  the 
laborers  whom  the  ship  picks  up  on  her  southward 
cruise,  to  load  fruit.  Then  we  made  straight  for  New 
York,  sailing  delightfully  on  summer  seas,  without  an 
untoward  incident  to  mar  the  voyage.  Except  the  form- 
alities required,  and  the  customs  regulations,  on  enter- 
ing the  domain  of  Uncle  Sam,  there  was  nothing  to 
interfere  with  our  pleasure.  Thus  ended  my  voyage 
to  the  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross. 


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Martin,  London,  W.  Heinemann,  1906. 
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Jansen  McClurg  &  Co.,  1884. 
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Chile — Julio   Perez  Cauto,   Santiago   de  Chile, 

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400  Lands  of  the  Southern  Cross 

Panama. 

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P.  D.  and  A.  J.  Herbertson,  London,  Adam  and 
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Problems  of  the  Panama  Canal — Henry  L.  Adams, 
New  York,  The  Macmillan  Company,  1907. 

Notes  on  Panama — H.  C.  Hale,  Washington,  Govern- 
ment Printing  Office,  1903. 

Four  Centuries  of  the  Panama  Canal — Willis  Fletcher 
Johnson,  New  York,  Henry  Holt  &  Co.,  1906. 

Panama,  the  Isthmus  and  the  Canal — C.  H.  Forbes 
Linsay,  Philadelphia,  The  J.  C.  Winston  Co., 
1906. 

Five  Years  at  Panama — Wolf  red  Nelson,  New  York, 
Belford  Co.,  1899. 

Panama  at  a  Glance   (Guide  book) — 1907. 

The  Isthmian  Canal — George  W.  Goethals,  W^ashing- 
ton.  Government  Printing  Office,  1909. 

On  the  Canal  Zone — Thomas  Graham  Grier,  Chicago, 
Wagner  &  Hanson  Co.,  1908. 

Panama,  a  Personal  Eecord  of  Forty-five  Years — Tracy 
Kobinson,  New  York  and  Panama,  1907. 

The  West  Indies. 

Gardens  of  the  Caribbees — Ida  M.  H.  Starr,  Boston, 

L.  C.  Page  &  Co.,  1904. 
The  Pocket  Guide  to  the  West  Indies — Algernon  E. 

Aspinall,  London,  E.  Stanford,  1907. 
The  Cradle  of  the  Deep — Frederick  Treves,  New  York, 

E.  P.  Button  &  Co.,  1908. 


Bihliographij  401 

The  Lesser  Antilles— Owen  T.  Bulkeley,  London,  1889. 

Pearl  of  the  Antilles,  Trinidad — John  McEaven,  Trin- 
idad, 1906. 

The  History  of  Barbados — Kobert  H.  Schomburgk, 
London,  1848. 

Historical  and  Descriptive  Sketch  of  the  Colony  of 
St.  Vincent— T.  B.  G.  Musgrave,  1891. 

St.  Lucia — London,  1844. 

Notes  upon  the  Island  of  Dominica — Symington 
Grieve,  London,  Adam  and  Charles  Black,  1906. 

The  Handbook  of  Jamaica  (1908)— Joseph  C.  Ford, 
London  and  Jamaica,  1908.^ 


1  This  list  is  far  from  being  exhaustive.  I  have  merely 
cited  some  of  the  more  recent  publications,  as  a  guide  to  the 
reader,  without  special  reference  to  their  merits. 


FEB  20  1917 


